Disclaimer: I don't own Darth Maul or anything else in the Star Wars universe, but I own Midori, Zell, all the guards, and the cranky pilot.
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Chapter 1
Millions of stars reflected off the sleek Orin 1, bathing it in a soft glow. It was on its return journey to Coruscant after visiting the construction of Bespin's newest satellite, Cloud City. Zell Orin, one of the richest Corellians in the galaxy, gave most of the funding for the construction and therefore believed he owned it. He visited Bespin frequently to see how 'his' station was coming along.
"Midori!" Zell called over his shoulder. He was sitting in a comfortable chair, his arms along the wide edge and an ankle resting on one knee. He didn't feel like getting up to look for the girl himself.
"Midori!" shouted the Corellian impatiently. After a few moments, a green-skinned Twi'lek came bouncing in.
"Yes?" Zell motioned for her to stand behind the chair. When she had taken her place, he accepted the comlink communication from Coruscant. It was one of Senator Orn Free Taa's attendants.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting," Zell said with rehearsed regret. The small, holographic figure nodded forgivingly.
"That's quite all right, Orin. We were just wondering when you were returning. After all, you are hosting five senators in two days," the attendant reminded.
"I will be home sometime tomorrow at the latest. Yes, I left rather abruptly, but I heard there were some problems with Cloud City. I am on my way home right now, though," replied Zell, giving an exaggerated smile.
"Of course. Senator Taa is looking forward to this banquet. He thought you had called it off when you were gone and none of your attendants knew where you had gone to.
"No, I still intend to host the meeting. I look forward to seeing Senator Taa again." After their farewells, the link was turned off and Zell dismissed the Twi'lek.
"That will be all unless someone important calls." Midori bowed her head and left the room. She knew the only reason he brought her was to stand somewhere in the background and look pretty. She was just a badge of prestige to show how wealthy and important Zell is. Of course her master looked even wealthier when he had all five Twi'lek girls around him, but for this spur-of-the-moment trip, he only brought Midori. That certainly boosted her ego. The green-skinned girl didn't mind being seen as a trophy. As long as Zell was famous, she'd be famous as well, not to mention living very luxuriously.
And Zell was indeed very famous. He had most of his friends because he was rich and a few more because of his opinions. Being friends with numerous senators, the human was well caught up in political events. He was very opinionated and would speak up in every debate he came across, even if he wasn't familiar with the subject. Zell, being so wealthy, was very influential, and for that he gained many enemies. The man had his own legion of bodyguards, thinking they could protect him from the various groups who hated him. Even on this sudden trip he had brought ten guards.
Not far behind the Orin 1, a cloaked ship followed. It seemed like a large fold in space, distorting stars as it silently passed. It had locked onto the luxury ship and was patiently waiting for the most opportune moment.
Midori entered her large room. It wasn't as grand as her room back on Coruscant, but each time she had been on the ship, she had brought something to decorate it. The only thing she could do besides decorate was cook, but since she was never offered those jobs, everyone thought she was another air-headed girl only interest in fashion. Of course, Midori did love clothes. Her four floor-to-ceiling closets in her room on Coruscant were evident of this.
The Twi'lek was busy rearranging the furniture in her room when Zell's voice came over the ship's comlink.
"Dori, look expensive. I need to call Senator Palpatine. Be here in ten minutes." Ten minutes? Was he crazy? She'd need that long just to pick out a new headpiece.
In twenty minutes, Midori returned to the communications room. An ornate silver headpiece dotted with tiny jewels adorned her head. Her deep red, one-strap shirt brought out her vivid red eyes. She wore a skirt that slanted from the top of one knee to the bottom of the other. Her tall boots almost reached her knees and the large soles added to her height.
The guards stopped and stared as she passed, but Zell didn't seem to care of her beauty. He was already talking to someone when she walked in.
"I told you, when the price is so low- buy, buy, BUY!" The man disconnected the communication with an aggravated growl. He didn't notice that Midori was late. He motioned for the Twi'lek to again stand behind the chair as he contacted Senator Palpatine. An annoying beeping sound replied. Zell repeated the action, but again it didn't connect.
"It won't go through," he said, mostly to himself. His temper was slowly rising as people could tell by his tone.
"Dalk, get in here and fix this-" Zell's order was interrupted by a severe jerk to the ship.
"Something just hit us, Orin," reported the pilot over the comlink.
"What did?" the human demanded.
"I... I'm really not sure," said the pilot. Quickly Zell jumped up and ran out of the room, followed closely by Midori. He stalked into the cockpit and began shouting orders.
"Shields up. What do you mean you're not sure?" Suddenly the ship rocked again.
"The attacker must be cloaked- we can't detect anything," the pilot replied.
"Then start shooting randomly!"
Midori shrunk into the corner of the small room. She had never been in anything under attack before. For once in her life she was terrified. The Twi'lek did not want to be blown into millions of particles and scattered over the vast reaches of space. There were still things to do, places to see, clothes to buy. She couldn't die now! Her panicked mind was suddenly brought back to reality as another violent jerk crashed over the ship.
"Shields are down and the right wing is maimed," reported the pilot.
"What do you mean? How badly?" Zell frantically demanded.
"Most of it's still there, but another hit and it'll be gone."
Midori slid along the wall to the floor, covering her head with her hands and her lekku. She was vaguely aware of the pilot talking about a planet, but her head was pounding with frightened thoughts and she couldn't concentrate. The only thing the Twi'lek knew was the shuddering every time the Orin 1 was hit.
"Are we returning fire?" Zell cried.
"Yes," the pilot shot back, becoming frustrated under the stress.
"Is it hitting the other ship?
"How should I know?! It's cloaked!"
"Will we make it back to Coruscant?"
"If we get replacement parts and this loon off our tail in the next few minutes, maybe," shrugged the pilot.
"Then we'll need to make that emergency landing," Zell said.
"Endor's the closest thing.
"Land, then." Orin slowly rubbed his hands up his forehead and through his hair, venting a stressful sigh. For the first time he noticed the Twi'lek in the room.
"Go on, Dori, get out of here," he said, helping her to her feet and leading her out of the cockpit.
Midori was thrown against the walls several times as she made her way down the corridor. When she reached a room where she could sit and buckle in, the pilot's voice echoed throughout the ship,
"We're landing. Hang on to something- it's gonna be bumpy." The ship rocked viciously as it descended, forcing the girl to the floor. She had not yet fastened in and was now being thrown around the room.
Soon the pilot announced they had landed.
"Uh oh," his voice came over the comlink. "Another ship's landing not too far away." At that Midori heard Orin calling for his guards.
A few minutes later, Zell, the pilot and the ten guards, all armed with blasters, cautiously crept down the boarding ramp, watched by the Twi'lek. They slowly made their way toward the enemy ship. The ground was soft and a little muddy, giving in where they stepped. To Midori, the air was dry and it smelled different- if not better- than the air on Coruscant. The Orin 1 had landed in a small clearing surrounded by broad, towering trees. There were countless places to hide and sneak up on an enemy, the Twi'lek noted with satisfaction, but also countless places for the enemy to hide. The girl's smile dropped at the latter thought.
The group deliberately made their way toward the edge of the clearing. Suddenly something caught the Twi'lek's eye and she started searching the forest line. Something was moving behind the trees. It blended in well with the shadows and was steadily making its way closer to the group. Midori didn't know if it was an inhabitant or someone from the attacking ship, but she decided to warn the men anyway. Pointing, she screamed,
"Over there, in the trees! It's-" Before she could even finish her sentence, something covered in black jumped into the clearing, wielding a red lightsaber. The ten guards immediately hid Zell from view and fired at the enemy. The cloaked man easily blocked the shots with his weapon, sending them back to the body guards. Seeing all ten fall to the ground, Midori ran from her spot on the ship over to her master.
"Who are you?!" demanded Zell.
"A Sith," he replied shortly, attacking the pilot. The Twi'lek grabbed a weapon and stood in front of Orin. Once the pilot fell, the enemy turned back to Zell. Two vibrant yellow eyes glared at the humanoids from under the dark hood.
"Out of my way, woman," hissed the figure.
"No!" Midori shouted, aiming the blaster. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Twi'lek hurtling into a nearby tree. She dropped to the ground in a crumpled heap. Seeing Zell was distracted, the enemy took this moment to attack the man. One slash of his lightsaber and Orin fell.
The Sith dropped his hood revealing a head dotted with small horns and covered in an intricate design of red and black tattoos. He smiled grimly as he surveyed the stained clearing. It had all been too easy. But he didn't mind easy missions.
The challenging part would be returning home. Numerous random shots had hit his ship and his quick landing wasn't the best. Besides that, he had landed next to a swamp and the ground was slowly claiming the ship. But he could fix that. He could fix anything. He was a Sith.
He hung his lightsaber handle on his belt and turned to find his way back to his ship when he heard a soft noise. His head snapped back and he saw the Twi'lek move slightly. He had forgotten about her. He had just assumed she was dead. The Sith grabbed his weapon again as he neared the alien. He stopped next to her and was about to ignite his weapon when a new idea entered his mind. He thoughtfully stared ahead for a moment, involuntarily returning the lightsaber to his belt. A hint of his devilish smile played on the corners of his lips and he turned to head back to his ship. He wouldn't kill the Twi'lek just yet. He had a plan for her.
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Okay, that was chapter 1. Tell me what you think, please.
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Chapter 1
Millions of stars reflected off the sleek Orin 1, bathing it in a soft glow. It was on its return journey to Coruscant after visiting the construction of Bespin's newest satellite, Cloud City. Zell Orin, one of the richest Corellians in the galaxy, gave most of the funding for the construction and therefore believed he owned it. He visited Bespin frequently to see how 'his' station was coming along.
"Midori!" Zell called over his shoulder. He was sitting in a comfortable chair, his arms along the wide edge and an ankle resting on one knee. He didn't feel like getting up to look for the girl himself.
"Midori!" shouted the Corellian impatiently. After a few moments, a green-skinned Twi'lek came bouncing in.
"Yes?" Zell motioned for her to stand behind the chair. When she had taken her place, he accepted the comlink communication from Coruscant. It was one of Senator Orn Free Taa's attendants.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting," Zell said with rehearsed regret. The small, holographic figure nodded forgivingly.
"That's quite all right, Orin. We were just wondering when you were returning. After all, you are hosting five senators in two days," the attendant reminded.
"I will be home sometime tomorrow at the latest. Yes, I left rather abruptly, but I heard there were some problems with Cloud City. I am on my way home right now, though," replied Zell, giving an exaggerated smile.
"Of course. Senator Taa is looking forward to this banquet. He thought you had called it off when you were gone and none of your attendants knew where you had gone to.
"No, I still intend to host the meeting. I look forward to seeing Senator Taa again." After their farewells, the link was turned off and Zell dismissed the Twi'lek.
"That will be all unless someone important calls." Midori bowed her head and left the room. She knew the only reason he brought her was to stand somewhere in the background and look pretty. She was just a badge of prestige to show how wealthy and important Zell is. Of course her master looked even wealthier when he had all five Twi'lek girls around him, but for this spur-of-the-moment trip, he only brought Midori. That certainly boosted her ego. The green-skinned girl didn't mind being seen as a trophy. As long as Zell was famous, she'd be famous as well, not to mention living very luxuriously.
And Zell was indeed very famous. He had most of his friends because he was rich and a few more because of his opinions. Being friends with numerous senators, the human was well caught up in political events. He was very opinionated and would speak up in every debate he came across, even if he wasn't familiar with the subject. Zell, being so wealthy, was very influential, and for that he gained many enemies. The man had his own legion of bodyguards, thinking they could protect him from the various groups who hated him. Even on this sudden trip he had brought ten guards.
Not far behind the Orin 1, a cloaked ship followed. It seemed like a large fold in space, distorting stars as it silently passed. It had locked onto the luxury ship and was patiently waiting for the most opportune moment.
Midori entered her large room. It wasn't as grand as her room back on Coruscant, but each time she had been on the ship, she had brought something to decorate it. The only thing she could do besides decorate was cook, but since she was never offered those jobs, everyone thought she was another air-headed girl only interest in fashion. Of course, Midori did love clothes. Her four floor-to-ceiling closets in her room on Coruscant were evident of this.
The Twi'lek was busy rearranging the furniture in her room when Zell's voice came over the ship's comlink.
"Dori, look expensive. I need to call Senator Palpatine. Be here in ten minutes." Ten minutes? Was he crazy? She'd need that long just to pick out a new headpiece.
In twenty minutes, Midori returned to the communications room. An ornate silver headpiece dotted with tiny jewels adorned her head. Her deep red, one-strap shirt brought out her vivid red eyes. She wore a skirt that slanted from the top of one knee to the bottom of the other. Her tall boots almost reached her knees and the large soles added to her height.
The guards stopped and stared as she passed, but Zell didn't seem to care of her beauty. He was already talking to someone when she walked in.
"I told you, when the price is so low- buy, buy, BUY!" The man disconnected the communication with an aggravated growl. He didn't notice that Midori was late. He motioned for the Twi'lek to again stand behind the chair as he contacted Senator Palpatine. An annoying beeping sound replied. Zell repeated the action, but again it didn't connect.
"It won't go through," he said, mostly to himself. His temper was slowly rising as people could tell by his tone.
"Dalk, get in here and fix this-" Zell's order was interrupted by a severe jerk to the ship.
"Something just hit us, Orin," reported the pilot over the comlink.
"What did?" the human demanded.
"I... I'm really not sure," said the pilot. Quickly Zell jumped up and ran out of the room, followed closely by Midori. He stalked into the cockpit and began shouting orders.
"Shields up. What do you mean you're not sure?" Suddenly the ship rocked again.
"The attacker must be cloaked- we can't detect anything," the pilot replied.
"Then start shooting randomly!"
Midori shrunk into the corner of the small room. She had never been in anything under attack before. For once in her life she was terrified. The Twi'lek did not want to be blown into millions of particles and scattered over the vast reaches of space. There were still things to do, places to see, clothes to buy. She couldn't die now! Her panicked mind was suddenly brought back to reality as another violent jerk crashed over the ship.
"Shields are down and the right wing is maimed," reported the pilot.
"What do you mean? How badly?" Zell frantically demanded.
"Most of it's still there, but another hit and it'll be gone."
Midori slid along the wall to the floor, covering her head with her hands and her lekku. She was vaguely aware of the pilot talking about a planet, but her head was pounding with frightened thoughts and she couldn't concentrate. The only thing the Twi'lek knew was the shuddering every time the Orin 1 was hit.
"Are we returning fire?" Zell cried.
"Yes," the pilot shot back, becoming frustrated under the stress.
"Is it hitting the other ship?
"How should I know?! It's cloaked!"
"Will we make it back to Coruscant?"
"If we get replacement parts and this loon off our tail in the next few minutes, maybe," shrugged the pilot.
"Then we'll need to make that emergency landing," Zell said.
"Endor's the closest thing.
"Land, then." Orin slowly rubbed his hands up his forehead and through his hair, venting a stressful sigh. For the first time he noticed the Twi'lek in the room.
"Go on, Dori, get out of here," he said, helping her to her feet and leading her out of the cockpit.
Midori was thrown against the walls several times as she made her way down the corridor. When she reached a room where she could sit and buckle in, the pilot's voice echoed throughout the ship,
"We're landing. Hang on to something- it's gonna be bumpy." The ship rocked viciously as it descended, forcing the girl to the floor. She had not yet fastened in and was now being thrown around the room.
Soon the pilot announced they had landed.
"Uh oh," his voice came over the comlink. "Another ship's landing not too far away." At that Midori heard Orin calling for his guards.
A few minutes later, Zell, the pilot and the ten guards, all armed with blasters, cautiously crept down the boarding ramp, watched by the Twi'lek. They slowly made their way toward the enemy ship. The ground was soft and a little muddy, giving in where they stepped. To Midori, the air was dry and it smelled different- if not better- than the air on Coruscant. The Orin 1 had landed in a small clearing surrounded by broad, towering trees. There were countless places to hide and sneak up on an enemy, the Twi'lek noted with satisfaction, but also countless places for the enemy to hide. The girl's smile dropped at the latter thought.
The group deliberately made their way toward the edge of the clearing. Suddenly something caught the Twi'lek's eye and she started searching the forest line. Something was moving behind the trees. It blended in well with the shadows and was steadily making its way closer to the group. Midori didn't know if it was an inhabitant or someone from the attacking ship, but she decided to warn the men anyway. Pointing, she screamed,
"Over there, in the trees! It's-" Before she could even finish her sentence, something covered in black jumped into the clearing, wielding a red lightsaber. The ten guards immediately hid Zell from view and fired at the enemy. The cloaked man easily blocked the shots with his weapon, sending them back to the body guards. Seeing all ten fall to the ground, Midori ran from her spot on the ship over to her master.
"Who are you?!" demanded Zell.
"A Sith," he replied shortly, attacking the pilot. The Twi'lek grabbed a weapon and stood in front of Orin. Once the pilot fell, the enemy turned back to Zell. Two vibrant yellow eyes glared at the humanoids from under the dark hood.
"Out of my way, woman," hissed the figure.
"No!" Midori shouted, aiming the blaster. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Twi'lek hurtling into a nearby tree. She dropped to the ground in a crumpled heap. Seeing Zell was distracted, the enemy took this moment to attack the man. One slash of his lightsaber and Orin fell.
The Sith dropped his hood revealing a head dotted with small horns and covered in an intricate design of red and black tattoos. He smiled grimly as he surveyed the stained clearing. It had all been too easy. But he didn't mind easy missions.
The challenging part would be returning home. Numerous random shots had hit his ship and his quick landing wasn't the best. Besides that, he had landed next to a swamp and the ground was slowly claiming the ship. But he could fix that. He could fix anything. He was a Sith.
He hung his lightsaber handle on his belt and turned to find his way back to his ship when he heard a soft noise. His head snapped back and he saw the Twi'lek move slightly. He had forgotten about her. He had just assumed she was dead. The Sith grabbed his weapon again as he neared the alien. He stopped next to her and was about to ignite his weapon when a new idea entered his mind. He thoughtfully stared ahead for a moment, involuntarily returning the lightsaber to his belt. A hint of his devilish smile played on the corners of his lips and he turned to head back to his ship. He wouldn't kill the Twi'lek just yet. He had a plan for her.
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Okay, that was chapter 1. Tell me what you think, please.