This takes place in the same universe as my Distant Stars story, but you shouldn't have to read it to understand this. This thought came to me as I was having some writers block on my other story, and is only going to be a short story. The idea was 'how many references to different canon universes can I fit into a few chapters.'
Thane Kyrell pulled himself into the co-pilot seat with a moody grunt, eyeing the nav computer readings as they counted down to their destination. "Just a few minutes till we drop out of hyperspace; then find out if there's anything worth seeing on this backwater."
Ciena Ree sat attentively at the pilots controls to his left, and sparred him a wry glance. "I'm not sure a native of Jelucan should be calling any place a 'backwater.' It's more like we're coming home really."
"Oh, this Baros place is even more out of the way than Jelucan, we're practically in wild space already. It's the last place in the galaxy anyone would hide."
"Therefore," Ciena countered. "It's the perfect place to hide."
Most of the trip had been spent politely having arguments like this; either about the likelihood of finding anything, or the extent of guilty responsibility
Because Ciena, in her heart of hearts, still carried around deep-seated sense of guilt over her service to the Empire. For the year and a half sense her unceremonious release from New Republic custody, she'd made it her mission to personally make amends for every Imperial atrocity that was now coming to light across the galaxy. The New Republic fleet was no longer willing to take in former Imperial loyalists, and was another victim of the galaxy wide military downsizing anyway, so she'd dove right into community services.
First there was the reconstruction of Lessu City on Ryloth, then teaching basic to bodach'i ex-slaves, then a series of funding drives for displaced war refugees that had spanned half the Mid Rim. Time and again she had reminded Thane that no one but her needed to carry out this self-appointed martyrdom, and he didn't have to come along. She kept saying it like she thought there was actually a chance he would listen.
But this newest mission was different. It must have been a million to one odds, Ciena kept throwing around sayings like 'there are no accidents;' but they had turned on the holo news one day to see a feature on a neighboring Imperial world that still refused to acknowledge the New Republic, and spotted a familiar face in the background of one.
Hernan Gran had never been a household name; but he'd had a vicious reputation in the Imperial military, and sat somewhere at the top of the New Republics most wanted list. A colonel in the stormtrooper corps, with ties to the Imperial Security Bureau, he'd directed policy on suppressing local dissents for a large chunk of the Mid and Outer rims. He had been linked to the Teardrop City of the Hills massacre, the burning of New Cov, and the Kothlis work camps, to name just a few. He'd been MIA since some time after the Battle of Endor; but now there was a chance he might be hiding in the Outer Rim.
They'd sent messages to the New Republic authorities of course, to every connection they could find in the military and the senate, but Thane wasn't holding his breath. Sure, the Republic might be lightyears better than the Empire, but it was still a government. He'd be impressed if the matter got anyone's attention before a month was out. Ciena had thought the same thing. Someone like Colonel Gran could probably go to ground in the Outer Rim for years, and no one but them was in a position to catch him first. Thane had to finally put his foot down, and tell her straight out that this time they weren't going.
"Coming out of hyperspace now," she informed him. After a week spent following rumors of Gran from one world to another, they'd picked up a tip from a Devaronian smuggler they'd dug out of a shallow grave he'd been burred alive in. The man who might be Gran was heading to a rendezvous in the Baros system. And he was bringing a cargo load of illegal, and very lethal, ion disruptors with him.
"Preparing for revert to realspace," Thane announced, flipping controls on the co-pilots console. Their ship was a battered old alliance U-wing Thane had scrounged up amid the military surplus sales. It was in pretty good shape aside from the long s-foils that had been cut off close to the cockpit, but the cramped interior had needed some refurbishing to be a comfortable ship for civilian travel. The whole one-room passenger area wasn't really the best for privacy, but as long as he was flying around with Ciena, Thane considered that more of a plus.
"System set," Ciena replied, as they went through flying procedures together with practiced ease. "Revert in three, two, one," she flipped up the switch, and the shining lines on the viewport were pulled back to normal stars. A large planet of dull green and brown rushed up to fill the window, but was partially eclipse by the massive form of an Imperial star destroyer directly in their path.
"BANTHA SHIT," Thane swore as Ciena jerked them into a sudden dive away from the warship. "Reroute all power to the shields," she order him while taking the U-wing into a spin to throw off incoming fire.
He was already doing it. "Take us back out away from the system, I'm plotting us a course right out of here. The New Republic fleet can deal with this!" He brought up the nav display. "I think we can make Mon Calamari from here."
"Sorosuub recyclers," Ciena said.
"What!?"
Stopping her maneuvers, there was no incoming fire, Ciena tapped at the rear display, magnifying the marks that broke up the uniform greyness of the star destroyers hull. The biggest one, in bright red aurek besh letters, proudly declared 'Sorosuub Air Recyclers: Best in the Galaxy'."
They spent a moment staring at the various other adds painted on the ships hull, before the com light came on. "They're hailing us," Thane said unnecessarily, and he and Ciena exchanged a glance before she switched on the com.
"Fancy-flying ship, this is the Errant Venture," came a cheerful, alien sounding voice. "You can cool down your engines, we come in peace."
They spent another moment staring at each other. Ciena nodded at the sensor screen in front of Thane, and without a word they both turned back to their controls. "Star destroyer, this is the private transport Muunyak, please identify your, um, loyalties."
"We are a private, eh, venture, not associated with the Empire or New Republic. We are currently open for business with all parties, provided they don't bring their own conflicts with them."
It looked as though he was telling the truth. Half a dozen cruisers were docked along the star destroyers sides, with other small ships flying in and out of the expansive hangar. "You're a cargo ship?"
"More of a mobile spaceport," the operator replied. "We have a variety of third party retailers on board, in addition to our own shops and services."
"What exactly do you sell?" Ciena asked.
"What do you want to buy?"
"I have a full reading on them," Thane said quietly. "I'm detecting about one third of the weapons systems a star destroyer should have, and most of them are powered down. No shields are up. No standard Imperial com chatter, but enough civilian talking to make up a good-sized city. Either he's telling the truth, or its a really good con-job."
"Do you suppose we should risk it?" Ciena asked.
"I still vote we go home."
Ciena tapped the controls thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding. "It can't hurt to come board and have a look around. A least see if we can pick up a word on Gran."
"He probably went planets-side," Thane argued.
"All the traffic in-system seems to be going to the star destroyer."
"So the planet is less obvious."
"I hear its inhabited by primitive aliens. Which do you think an ISB fanatic like Gran would prefer"
They were directed to the main hangar bay, and cruised slowly up to the landing pad. It was a surreal experience; they both knew the features of an Imperial star destroyer by heart, but the Venture had been severely altered by it's new owners. Walls had been knocked out to expand the main landing pad to almost twice its normal size, and it was filled with all the varied and bizarre ships you would expect of an Out Rim space port. The hangar floor itself had been retiled in a tan that must have once been bright, rather than the dark grey it should have been. It was covered in the scattered dings of clumsy landing gear and blackened marks of engine exhaust, which would have long since been fixed up on any proper Imperial ship.
They landed at the open spot the traffic control directed them to, and were immediately met by two security guards at the boarding were a human and a duros, both with big welcoming smiles, and big blaster pistols holstered at their sides. They wore uniforms that were modeled after Imperial styles, but with bodies and hats that had been dyed green, and arms and legs that were bright yellow. They kind of hurt the eye to look at.
"I hope you have a good time," the duros smiled as he handed them a pair of small map datapads; after they had given their names and paid a docking fee that was just boarder-line theft. "Just remember, we have a pretty severe policy about troublemakers. We catch you fighting, stealing, or panhandling, you get a nice long stay in whatever passes for a detention center on the nearest inhabited world. They catch you cheating at the casinos, and you go out the airlock. And remember, no riding transports or live stalk in the passageways."
"Exciting place," Thane patted his concealed blaster reassuringly as they made their way to the main hangar door, open wide under a large shining sign of the ships name. "Betcha the next guards will tell us off for loitering, then offer us coupons for free drinks with every purchase."
"I have a feeling we've reached the end of the trail," Ciena didn't acknowledge his joke. "If Gran wanted to make some kind of arms deal, a place this chaotic would be the perfect cover. I bet every crime syndicate from Black Sun to Crimson Dawn has agents working here!"
"Well, we'd better find out where hes going after this," Thane retorted firmly. "And call the New Republic with definite proof so they can pick him up. Because if there's any kind of deal going on, no way are we going to break it up by ourselves."
Ciena scowled at him, but her eyes were soft. "Don't you try to become the sensible one on me."
"Become?"
"Still, I think your wrong this time Thane," the small smile slipped from Sienna's face, replaced by a firm determination. "Something is going to happen here, I can almost feel it. Those who were hurt by the Empire will get justice. Whether its the will of the Force, or the struggle of free people, it must be done."
Thane snorted. "If the Force wants to send us a little help, I won't turn it down. In the meantime, we stay out of arms reach on this one!"
The two of them walked on into the ships expanded passageways, doing there best to look just like a pair of anonymous travelers checking out a local oddity. Neither noticed the midsized freighter that landed just as they left the hangar. Or the two beings who got off it.
One was a human, tall and slim, with blue eyes and blue black hair. Two small scars marked his left cheek, and another marred his forehead above the right eyebrow. The other was humanoid, but blue skinned, with glowing red eyes, and dark black hair. The first strode casually, seeming entirely relaxed even as his eyes would quickly dart across the chamber to seek out easy marks and quick escape routs. The second walked erect and purposeful, his gaze sweeping gradually and openly as it took in every detail of the ship.
"Quite the place," Ezra comment as they finished an identical encounter with the paroling security guards. "This Terrik guy must really like to put on a show."
"It's calculated," his companion remarked. "Captain Terrik certainly thinks very highly of himself; and believes in self-promotion, as a business practice at least. But the degree to which he takes it, to the edge absurdity, is inconsistent with his demonstrated intelligence. It is likely a facade, at least partially, meant to make potential opponents overconfident in dealing with him."
"Playing down how smart he is? Kind of the opposite of most smugglers I've met then," Ezra grinned. "Maybe before we leave you two can have a talk about strategy over a dejarik game."
"Perhaps, but for the moment we must focus on finding our supplier," Thrawn scanned the crowd as they moved deeper into the ship. "It is imperative we squire our order, and depart with as little delay as possible. We should avoid unnecessary entanglements."
"On a mission this easy," Ezra countered. "What could go wrong?"
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