STAR WARS : Metal Menace
Chapter I
"You ready for this C1?" CT-6179 asked eagerly.
C1 beeped enthusiastically in agreement to the pilots question. The older model astromech swivels his orange head as he watches the Clone climb up the Y-wings boarding ladder and into the cockpit.
The pilot closes the canopy and says, "It's a simple mission really, bombing run on a narrow access point along one of Ryloth's canyons."
C1 beeps in a questionable tone that's message is projected on the pilots console scopes.
"No, I'm not sure why we're bombing the canyon. But they are General Windu's orders." The pilot primes the thrusters. "I do know, however, that this mission is suppose to be easy enough that heavy defenses are uncalled for; hence why Hot Shot won't be manning our gun this round."
C1 beeps again in a mocking tone.
"Yes, he wasn't too happy about missing this!"
"Cut the chatter Flash." Purple Squad Leader says through the comlink. "All wings: prepare for launch, Formation Delta-6 in chain sequence lift off. Standard procedure, boys."
The Republic Cruisers hangar doors open up slowly. Purple Squad Leader takes post after lift off with three other Y-wings before Flash and C1 take their turn. Once into space, Purple Squad forms into two even ranks of four, each rank in a wedge formation. From above, the formation appears to be two chevrons. Each bombers nav computer set for their drop point along Ryloth's rigid surface.
"This has to be the most boring mission yet." Hup'Em exaggerates.
"We have our orders Purple Six." Purple Leader counters.
"Oh, bring it down a little Zax!" Blaze laughs as the squadron enters Ryloths atmosphere, "Your always so uptight. Yeah, we got our orders, all Hup is saying is this is just-"
"Purple Two. Shove it. You don't realize how important this mission is."
"And that is?..." Flash prompts.
The coms go quite for a second before Zax continues, "We have to blow the ravine in order to-"
Suddenly, the scopes on Zax's fighter begin to flash bright red as the alarm notifying incoming craft sounds.
"We got company!"
"Vulture droids on our six!" Hup confirms.
"Second squad, break formation and take out those fighters! First squad, resume course, we have to get to the drop point!"
Flash bends his helmeted head back to look up at C1. "Well C1, looks like Hot Shots really going to be disappointed. See if you can man that rotary gun, we're gonna need it."
This is a very delicate operation. She has to sneak across the hall without one of the service droids noticing her or her mother hearing her footsteps from in the kitchen; which in the end, is her targeted destination.
The door to her room opens with a quiet swish. She slowly sticks her head out of the doorway and checks both ways down the hall. Nothing. She replaced her hard soled boots with soft slippers that will make her footsteps lighter. With one quick breath, she takes a leap of faith out into the hallway and proceeds to quickly tiptoe her way down the long corridor. She rounds the corner, still no droids or unexpected guests.
The kitchen door in sight.
She pokes one eye around the doorway to get a look into the kitchen. She sees dinner cooking on the stovetop - can smell it too - and the island counter, which on the end of it, is her target.
Malueruns. Three of them, nice and ripe from a shipment this morning.
She makes her move to go around the door frame, when suddenly, she hugs the wall again; her green head-tails making it a little difficult to get completely against her cover. She carefully glances back into the kitchen to see her mother back at the stovetop with a dish full of various vegetables.
She must make her move, she's gone this far, it's now or never. She slips into the kitchen as quiet as a Strill, creeping closer and closer to the Malueruns. Every step she takes, she watches the floor, not wanting to disturb anything that may be laying in her way. Across the kitchen, Brax, the loyal Kusak hound, lifts his head up from his nap to see the new visitor. She quickly puts a single finger to her lips, gesturing for the hound to keep quiet. But the Kusak just blinks lazily a couple times before returning to its afternoon slumber.
They're right in front of her, the Malueruns, just an arms length away. She reaches out for the thorny fruit, gets her fingers around one, and takes it away without making a sound. She has it. Now to make her get away, she quickly - and quietly - makes a run for the door.
When suddenly, she is stopped.
"Hera?" Her mother's flat voice calls from behind.
She's been discovered, mission failed. Hera closes her eyes tight and bites down on her lower lip as she turns around slowly in the doorway to face her mother. She holds the delicious fruit in front of her; no point hiding it now.
"What is that?" Her mother tilts her head and says, obviously knowing what it is.
"A Maluerun, mother."
"Is it for your brother?"
Hera shakes her head, her head-tails swing in front of her.
"It's for you then." She says as a statement rather than a question.
Hera nods, "Please, mother, I'm just so hungry."
Her mother roles her eyes and smiles, "Fine, but dinner will be ready soon, don't spoil it."
Hera smiles with glee. "Thank you mother!" She says before running off down the hall towards the front door to enjoy her Maluerun outside and watch the sunset.
Hera gets outside and sits on the first step. She looks out into the empty courtyard to see her younger brother twirling a stick around, acting as if he is fighting off an invisible enemy. She rolls her eyes, amused to watch him.
"Sean!" She calls, "You will have to call a temporary truce between you and your invisible friend! Come on, I'll share my Maluerun with you!"
Sean swings the stick from his hip one last time before dropping it in the dirt and walks up to his sister. He sits beside her and accepts her offer as he takes a half of the juicy fruit.
Sean protests, "I'm not fighting an 'invisible friend', Hera. I'm training for when I go fight the droid army with father."
"Your too young to fight, brother, the war on Ryloth will be over before you can even hold up a blaster right!"
Sean softly punches Hera in the arm as she laughs a little.
"Yeah and what about you? You still think your gonna fly off this planet and join their fight?"
"Maybe, all I need is a ship with adequate launch boosters and air cooled thrusters, and a hyperdrive would be nice to get me to the nearest spaceport."
"You're forgetting one thing."
"What."
"A ship."
Hera smiles slyly before looking up to the sky to watch the Noragile sore to their perch for the night. However, there is something else in the sky, and many of them. They seem to be glowing in the distance, like fire falling from the sky.
"What's that?" Sean asks, though he has a feeling Hera knows as much as he does.
Hera stands up and squints with her hand over her eyes to shield the glare of the first setting sun. They almost look like...ships.
"Trouble." Hera says grimly, "Someone's in big trouble."