"If you want it delivered to Corellia that's going to cost you extra".
Two figures stood at the end of a dock in the Nar Shaddaa spaceports; one was a blue skinned Twi'lek wearing a simple dock worker uniform and the other was a young girl. She stood at 5'8 with shining brown hair that reached down to her shoulders and green eyes that would glisten from the light if not for the thick smog around them. With lightly tanned skin and an athletic build this girl was beautiful and would seem out of place to many on the dreadful moon if not for her clothes.
The girl wore a dirty white shirt with a red flack jacket over it both of which stopped just above her waist line showing off her midriff and black leather leggings tucked inside brown hiking boots and a black leather belt with a blaster holster on each side holding a DL-18 blaster pistol. Her name was Liliana Ashford.
"What's wrong?" the Twi'lek worker asked, "How hard can it be to make a run to Corellia?"
"It's not hard at all" the girl replied, "Unless you're a wanted criminal there. For me to get anywhere near the planet I have to change my ship's identification code just to get clearance to land".
The Twi'lek laughed, "You're a wanted criminal? Most of the smugglers in the galaxy hail from Corellia you'd think they'd be used to your kind" he moved closer to her, "So what did you do?"
The girl raised her hand and checked her fingernails clearly bored of talking to the worker, "Inquiry into my personal life costs ten times the normal rate".
The Twi'lek withdrew his question, "I see it must have been bad" he stepped back from her, "So how much extra must we pay for the delivery?"
Liliana continued checking her nails, "Usually eighty percent, but I'm in a good mood so let's call it seventy percent".
The Twi'lek brought his finger up to his bottom lip for a second, "Very well the fee is acceptable. The cargo is a pair of hyperdrives and a case of spice, that shouldn't be anything to worry about right?"
Liliana lowered her hand, "So with the cargo we have six large in addition to the hiring fee and my expenses for fuel along with the additional seventy percent the total comes out to".
The worker held a medium sized brown pouch out, "No need to do the math. Sixty thousand credits I believe that covers the total and then some".
Liliana took the pouch and opened it, "Indeed it seems we have a deal then. Of course before the cargo comes aboard my ship I will need to inspect it".
The Twi'lek nodded and left to gather the cargo returning within a few minutes along with two other workers pushing a large cart. Liliana stopped them a few meters from her ship and asked them to back away while she inspected the shipment. When her inspection was complete she stepped back and smiled telling them to move the cargo onto her ship. Once the shipment was secured in the cargo hold Liliana escorted the two workers from her ship retracting the ramp after they left.
The trio of workers watched the engines of the HWK-290 light freighter blaze to life before the ship took off slowly flying into the skies above. In the cockpit of the freighter Liliana was entering the coordinates of her destination before leaning back in the pilot's seat and resting her feet against the controls. Cupping her hands behind her head she used the heel of her boot to push the lever of the hyperdrive. While she relaxed a rapid sequence of beeping started from behind her.
Liliana looked over her shoulder to see a steel grey and black colored R2 series astromech droid, "Hey Iron".
The droid rolled over to her and beeped.
Liliana nodded, "Yep we're heading back home. You know what that means we have to change the ship's ID signature".
The astromech beeped again and rolled to the side of the cockpit plugging itself into the ship's computer and reworking the ship's ID signature to keep the Corellian officials from shooting them down. She was finally going to return home after two years she was returning to the world she grew up on.
Liliana was raised in an orphanage on Corellia since she was an infant never knowing her parents. Despite this she had a good upbringing and several friends amongst the other children while still managing to have fun. Liliana developed a somewhat enthusiastic sense of humor banding together with the others in the orphanage to play an occasional prank in the city streets or on the staff members of the orphanage. A true trouble maker from a young age she would actively search for something fun to do usually succeeding in her endeavors while making sure no one would be injured. One day however her adventurous personality got her in over her head.
One evening Liliana sneaked out of the orphanage to have some fun while she was roaming she came across a pair of spacers stealing from a merchant. One of the spacers distracted the Bith merchant while his partner silently stole his profits from the day. The two spacers left quickly leaving the Bith oblivious to their theft and Liliana to follow them. Liliana followed after the two thieving spacers silently sneaking up behind when she saw her chance she stood up and quickly squeezed between them apologizing as she slid through and walking at a fast pace.
"Watch where you're going you brat" one of them yelled as she slid between them.
"Damn kids" one of them muttered before realizing that the pouch of money he stole was gone, "The kid!"
Hearing the spacers yell Liliana bolted taking off as fast as her legs would carry her ducking through alleyways and back streets quickly losing her pursuers. Stopping to catch her breath she chuckled as she bobbed her hand up and down weighing the pouch of credits it was heavy. Curiosity got the better of her and she opened the pouch amazed by the amount of credits it contained she had never seen so much money. She was tempted to keep it, but it wasn't the right thing to do she had to find the merchant and return it.
Closing the pouch she turned around to head back to where the merchant was, but the door behind her swung open hitting her in the back. The young Liliana stumbled forward dropping the credit pouch sending a few of the shining chips scattered to the ground.
"Check it out boys" a slurred voice said as a trio of drunks came out of the bar, "Free credits…how about we get some more drinks".
Seeing the drunken man reach for the credits Liliana lunged forward snatching them from the ground along with the pouch.
"Hey!" the drunk growled sluggishly turning to her, "Give that back".
"Its not yours" Liliana declared before turning to leave only to have one of them grab her arm and pull her back into them.
She screamed for them to let her go and one of them slapped her with the back of his hand, "You've got a lot of nerve for a such a young brat now give me those credits".
Liliana pulled her arm free and backed away refusing to hand over the stolen money unaware she had backed herself into a corner. The three drunks boxed her in demanding again that she give them the money, but she still refused.
One of them raised his hand as he stepped closer to her, "You need to learn your place bitch".
Liliana closed her eyes and withdrew into a huddle bracing herself for the hit, but it would never come. Instead of being struck again she heard the drunk scream in pain, opening her eyes she saw a fourth man standing behind the center drunk tightly holding his raised wrist and twisting it.
He easily stood at least six feet tall and was wearing a dirty white shirt and desert brown leggings, black boots and a long dark jacket that reached down to his knees. A large black leather ten gallon hat with a lace around his neck to keep it set on his head. He stood there holding the drunk's wrist slowly twisting it until the drunk's body began twisting along with the pain.
"Who the hell are you?" the second drunk slurred lunging forward to attack the man.
Liliana watched as this man swiftly stepped back releasing the wrist of the first drunk and landing a lightning fast jab directly into the throat of the drunk who attacked him. The man's fist snapped forward immediately retreating back to his side in an instant and the drunk started chocking before falling face first into the ground. The third drunk turned to attack him as well, but the man ducked down making a half turn around his drunken attacker before kicking the back of his knee and whipping back around slamming his shin across the drunk's forehead knocking him out.
Amazing, that was the only word Liliana could think of as she watched this stranger easily defeat each of her attackers within a few seconds. The third drunk still massaging his wrist finally turned to face the man and threw a punch only to have his arm caught and let out a drunken scream as the girl's savior threw him over his shoulder slamming him to the ground.
With the three drunks taken care of the man turned his attention to Liliana and walked over to her, "You're pretty brave kid" he said kneeling in front of her, "What's your name?"
"Li…Liliana" she answered her voice still a bit shaken from the encounter.
"That's a pretty name" he said with a slight smile, "So what are you doin' out here this time of night? Shouldn't you be home in bed?"
Liliana lowered her head with a guilty grin, "I…snuck out".
"Did ya now?" the man laughed, "I admire your bravery kid, but you should head back you're a tad too young to be wondering the streets by yourself this late".
Liliana looked at the pouch in her hands, "I can't. I have to return this first".
The man looked at the pouch of credits as Liliana told him what happened smiling when she finished, "You really are a brave one. I like you kid. Tell you what I'll go with you to return it and then I'll walk you back home…that way you won't get into any more trouble".
Normally you wouldn't trust an offer like that from someone you didn't know, but he did save her and despite his obvious appearance of an outlaw Liliana felt like she could trust him. She accepted his offer to escort her back to the merchant to return the credits and explain that she recovered them from the thieves that stole them. The merchant thanked her for returning the money giving them some fresh fruit as thanks. With the money returned it was time for Liliana to return to the orphanage leading her temporary bodyguard back through the streets until they arrived at the lonely building.
"An orphanage?" the man muttered, "I see..."
Taking her inside he spoke to the late night receptionist who was angry that Liliana had snuck out again marking the seventeenth time she had done it. Before the receptionist could scold her the man stepped in and explained what Liliana had done. Upon hearing about the young girl's brave actions she praised her, but still felt she should be punished in some way for sneaking out again after curfew. The receptionist left to fetch the current manager leaving Liliana alone in the lobby with the man who saved her.
"Guess I'm in for some extra chores tomorrow" she said with a guilty smile.
The man chuckled, "Well after seventeen times you should be used to it".
Liliana giggled before looking up to him realizing that she hadn't asked his name yet, "Who are you?"
The man took his hat off and held it over his chest, "Sean Ashford at your service milady".
Liliana bowed her head to him as the manager entered the lobby followed by the receptionist. Liliana thanked Sean for saving her before saying goodnight and goodbye to him, but he held up his finger, "You know little Lily…something tells me we'll meet again".
He placed his hat back on his head and said goodnight to them before taking his leave. Quietly Liliana followed the manager back to her room being praised for her actions, but still being scolded for sneaking out again. Liliana returned to her room and climbed into her bed unaware that it was the final night she would spend in the orphanage. Around lunch time the next day Sean had returned and asked to speak with Liliana alone.
"Tell me Lily" he said when she came over to him, "Do you like here? Are you happy?"
"Sometimes" she answered wondering why he was asking her that.
Sean rolled his shoulders back and sat down on a bench in the courtyard, "Well that's good some days are better than others" he paused for a moment, "I'm leaving Corellia tomorrow I'm heading off to Nar Shaddaa for some business".
"Will you come back?" Liliana asked him.
Sean shook his head, "Probably not for a long time, but if you'd like you can come with me". Liliana's face immediately lit up at his words, "It'd be nice to have some company other than my droids for once".
Before Liliana could answer him he held his hand up, "I have to warn you though. My life isn't an easy one…" he paused again and took in a quick breath, "I'm a smuggler. It's not a glamorous life and can be a bit dangerous at times".
"I want to go" she answered without letting him finish, "I…I like it here, but I'm tired of it. I want to see the world past this city and the galaxy beyond it…Can I?"
Sean gave her a small smile, "You have to be sure now like I said the life of a smuggler can be pretty dangerous".
Liliana nodded, "I'm sure".
Sean stood up, "Alright then, let's go talk to whoever's in charge right now".
It had finally happened, she had lived in the orphanage for thirteen years watching her other friends leave one by one believing that she would never leave herself until she came of age, but it finally happened. Sean spent the next hour filling at paperwork and it was finalized he had become Liliana's adoptive father taking her with him as they left the orphanage behind.
Arriving at the spaceport Sean showed Liliana her new home an HWK-290 light freighter. Liliana's eyes widened she had seen plenty of starships fly over head, but never seen one this close before. Taking her inside Sean introduced her to his two droids a steel grey R2 series astromech he called Iron and a purple colored 3PO series protocol droid named Violet. After introducing her to the droids and giving her a tour of the ship he told her to get used to it quickly because they would be moving around a lot as he went about his life as a smuggler.
Over the course of the next year Sean had trained and taught Liliana everything he knew from handling a blaster to fighting with her hands and from sneaking into a heavily defended area to hacking security systems. Every skill a good smuggler needed she would learn and she learned at a surprising rate. Within a few months Liliana learned what took Sean years leading him to believe either she was gifted for this sort of thing or she was destined for it either way he was sure she would make a great smuggler one day.
Only a year after he adopted her and Liliana was showing expert skill at hacking, infiltrating, fighting and using a blaster. Thanks to his age Sean had to rely more on his cunning and his blaster than his physical strength, but Liliana was still young and showed a natural flexibility which would give her an easy advantage over others, but there were still a few things he had left to teach her unfortunately he became ill leaving his adopted daughter to temporarily take over the lead and pilot the ship.
Liliana wasn't worried at first believing that Sean would pull through and overcome a simple sickness, but that wasn't the case. The illness weakened over time becoming nothing more than a minor inconvenience for the smuggler. Sean was able to move around and had most of his strength, but he would tire quickly and needed to rest often. It really didn't seem like much at first, he thought it was just his age catching up to him, but one day his illness came back sapping all of his strength and leaving him bed ridden. It became hard for him to move on his own even breathing occasionally caused him pain and it was just as bad for his daughter.
There was nothing Liliana could do when the illness became too much for Sean to handle on his own Liliana brought him to a hospital on Coruscant only for the doctors to tell them that the illness was too advanced in its stages for them to do much other than make him comfortable. Given at best only a few weeks left Sean looked to Liliana and managed a smile telling her the most important lesson he could teach her. While they were smugglers and considered criminals it was important that they set themselves apart from the rest of their kind.
"Honor"
That single word drifted from his lips as Liliana sat next to his bed. He told her that honor should be the most important trait in her life. While smuggling was considered a crime it didn't mean they had to be bad people.
"Always do what you think is right" he told her, "Even if it means turning on a former client or bailing on a job. If you think it's the right thing to do then do it no matter what".
Liliana leaned forward sliding out of her chair and falling to her knees. She looked at Sean with tears streaming from her eyes begging him to not leave her to somehow keep fighting and pull through. Sean could feel his time was near he barely had the strength to turn his head, but he forced his arm to moved and rested his hand on his daughter's face.
"I'll always be with you Lily" he whispered gently running his hand over her cheek, "You'll be sad for a while, but it will pass…It feels like it was only yesterday for me when I brought you with me into the galaxy" tears formed in Sean's eyes as his adopted daughter grabbed his hand.
"It may have only been two years" he continued, "But I love you as if you were my own".
Feeling his hand become heavier in hers Liliana suddenly turned into a terrified child tightly gripping his hand, "Daddy don't go" she cried bringing another smile to Sean's face.
Even though he adopted her two years ago she always called him by name something he was ok with, but hearing her call him that even if only that one time made him happier than he could ever remember. He smiled at her one last time and told her he loved her before he finally passed leaving his daughter behind.
Liliana is seventeen now two years had passed since her adoptive father died leaving her his ship and the droids on it. Still saddened by his passing she continued on finding her own path in life as a smuggler gaining a big reputation within the mid and out rims and even managing to get herself labeled as a wanted criminal on her home world Corellia. It was definitely a fulfilling life with many adventures and surprises for her, but thanks to everything her father taught her she had yet to run into anything she couldn't handle until today.
Iron the astromech droid began beeping loudly awakening Liliana from her nap.
"What is it Iron?" she asked sliding her feet out of the co-pilot's seat and looking at the droid.
Iron continued beeping loudly in a rapid sequence as if he was panicking about something.
"What do you mean the hyperdrive is malfunctioning?" Iron continued beeping and Liliana sighed, "Well I would have gotten it repaired while we were on Nar Shaddaa, but I don't trust anyone on that moon".
Iron beeped again his head piece rotating 180 degrees to look at her.
Liliana leaned back in her seat, "Alright find us a safe place to come out of hyperspace we'll have to try and fix it before we go any further".
Iron beeped again acknowledging his orders and calculating a new set of coordinates for the ship to come out of hyperspace. Once the coordinates were locked in the droid unplugged itself from the ship and turned back to his owner letting her know it was done.
"Alright here we go" Liliana said pulling back the hyperdrive lever.
The infinite stream of moving lights around them slowed and immediately stopped as the ship dropped from hyperspace not into the sea of stars they were expecting, but into a sea of laser fire and star fighters.
"Oh what the hell" Liliana yelled quickly taking the controls of her ship and avoiding a collision with a star fighter, "What did you get us into this time?" she yelled at Iron.
The astromech droid beeped again shuffling back and forth on its two legs as if it were angry.
"I said find somewhere safe" she yelled at the droid, "Not somewhere between Republic and Separatist cruisers". The freighter rocked as a blast of laser fire hit it, "Dammit I don't like this…we have to get out of here".
Iron continued beeping reminding his owner that the hyperdrive still needed repairs and was an unwise option.
"Obviously" Liliana said to the droid, "Hopefully I can maneuver through the battle and get us far enough away. A harmless little freighter like us shouldn't draw any fire right?"
The ship shook again and Iron beeped as it rolled forward and bumped into Liliana's seat.
"Don't take that tone with me" she told the droid, "Just get started on those repairs while I get us out of here".
A light began flashing to Liliana's left followed by a light beeping sound signaling that someone was trying to contact her.
"This is the Republic cruiser Resolute, unknown freighter, identify yourself" a voice demanded.
"You want identification?" Liliana asked him, "I am NOT an enemy" she yelled, "So don't fire at me".
"You're in the middle of a battle zone change your course at once".
"Really?" she yelled back, "I never would have guessed this was a battle zone" the freighter rocked again and Iron screamed as it rolled to the side slamming into the wall of the navicomputer.
"Son of a…" Liliana began angrily.
"Freighter pilot what's your status?" the voice asked.
Liliana's hand flew across the controls of her ship, "My engines are hit and my hyperdrive is malfunctioning. I'm not a fan of the Republic, but if you can help me out that'd be great".
"Roger that standby".
"Standby?" Liliana repeated in an aggravated tone, "I'm not going to sit here while I'm being shot at".
The voice came back within a few moments, "We're sending a fighter squadron to cover you can you make it to our ship?"
"Maybe" Liliana replied, "Which ship is yours? You all look the same from out here".
"I'm marking our ship on your HUD just follow our fighters they'll provide as much cover as they can. Your ship is too large to fit in our hangar the auxiliary docking port is on the underside of our cruiser if you can dock with us you'll be safe".
"This is not how I wanted my day to go" Liliana growled to herself as she followed the Republic fighters to the massive cruiser at the center of the Republic formation.
Flying under the massive star destroyer Liliana guided her ship toward its center and into the docking bay.
Liliana stood up and walked out of the cockpit, "Iron keep working on the hyperdrive I want to get out of here as soon as possible" leaving her ship and entering the Republic cruiser she docked with she was met by a pair clone troopers both of them armed with E-5 blaster rifles.
"We apologize for the armed welcome, but we can't take chances during a battle like this" one of the clones said, "We need you to come with us".
The second clones apologized a second time and placed Liliana in restraining cuffs as a precaution before trying to take her two blasters holstered to her waist.
"I don't think so" Liliana said stepping away from him, "You've got me cuffed that's enough, but you're not touching my blasters".
"Sorry ma'am its protocol" the clone replied.
Liliana shook her head, "I don't care they stay on me at all times if that's going to be a problem you'd better have a lot more than these cuffs and those rifles".
The first clone talked his brother down, "It'll be fine besides we don't have time for this we have to get back to our station" he looked to Liliana, "We'll take you to the bridge please follow us".
As they moved through the halls Liliana slowly moved her hand into one of the pockets of her red flak jacket taking out a small object resembling a pick and slid it under the cuffs restraining her wrists.
Arriving on the bridge the two clones escorted her over to a group of four people standing around a large hologram showing the enemy ships.
"General Skywalker here's the pilot of the freighter that docked with us".
"Thank you trooper you can go back to your post".
"Here you can have these back" Liliana said handing the trooper the restraining cuffs after she took them off, "So who are you?" she asked the man the trooper called General Skywalker.
The man turned to face her along with his allies, he was a fair bit taller than she was, but once she got a look at his clothes she knew who or at least what he was.
The older man standing to his right introduced himself first, "I apologize for the inconvenience. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, this is Anakin Skywalker" he motioned to the man the clones addressed and then to the other man standing at the other side of the hologram, "Admiral Yularen" he finally motioned to a young Togruta girl standing next to them, "And Ahsoka Tano".
Liliana hummed, "I've never met a Jedi before let alone three".
Obi-Wan nodded, "Well I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances, but that doesn't seem to be the case. What are you doing out here?"
Before Liliana could answer the cruiser rocked violently, "Report!" the ship's admiral yelled.
"We've been hit" the bridge operator yelled back, "Docking pods are breaching the hull we've got clankers incoming on two decks".
Obi-Wan turned to the Admiral, "Admiral continue the attack we'll go and handle the droids".
"Very well General" the admiral replied, "Good luck down there".
The Jedi named Anakin turned to the Togruta girl next to him, "Ahsoka you take the port side Obi-Wan and I will take the stern".
The girl nodded, "Whatever you say Master be careful down there".
As the three Jedi left the bridge Liliana tapped her fingers against one of her blasters, "I'm going to regret" she muttered to herself before running from the bridge and after the Togruta girl.
"Hey hold up" she called to her.
"What are you doing?" the girl asked her.
"I'm going with you" Liliana replied, "You guys helped me now I'm helping you".
The elevator doors closed around them, "I hope you know how to use those" she said referring to Liliana's blasters.
"Wouldn't have them if I didn't" Liliana said, "Ahsoka right? I'm Liliana".
Ahsoka gave her a friendly smile, "Nice to meet you let's hope it stays that way".
A/N. Thanks for reading. This story is a prequel to another that Vader23A will be writing in the future and will occasionally intersect with parts of "Solstice Knight" by The Emerald's Edge.
Other than that I hope you enjoyed chapter one and are looking forward to the next chapter.