Three more klicks. I just need to make three more klicks. Kirri thought to herself as she wove her speeder bike through the trees. She hit the brake and dove to the ground as angry red bolts passed through where she used to be. Behind her three white blurs followed her movement as the scout troopers tried to line up another shot. Another burst of bolts flew past her as she tried to see her path through the trees. The group wove in and out of the trees, over roots and under branches, continually avoiding collisions by a hair. The world was a blur at five hundred kilometers an hour, and Kirri was using all of her attention to avoid the massive trunks.

Another burst of lasers passed by her causing her to shy off to the left. As she did she gunned the starboard engine. The speeder spun in a split second giving her a second to return fire, a second she didn't miss. Her bike's laser cannon opened up as bright red bolts burned through the air intercepting the lead trooper. The fireball filled the space in front of the two remaining scouts causing them to shy away and giving her a moment to try and escape. She twisted the throttle and sped off into the swamp.

Her lead was slowly eaten up by the troopers as she was forced away from the quicker routes by their shots. Within a minute they were riding parallel to the edge of the swamp, with Kirri looking for a gap wide enough to let her escape. The troopers came closer and closer and she knew it was only a matter of time before they were able to nail her. Then she saw it. She hit the brake and slid to the right pointing towards the exit. She goosed the throttle and quickly built up speed again. Behind her the troopers copied her maneuver and closed the distance even more.

"Son of a crap!" she cursed. Ahead of her a tree rose up out of the murky water. The troopers had seen her dilemma and were scattering bolts on either side, boxing her in. With three seconds left before impact she saw a chance. The trunk was an outgrowth of two individual trees, and just above the waterline they met. She shoved the yolk down and took a deep breath. The control fins cut into the water and made way for the rest of the bike. Kirri hugged the bike as the water covered her body. Her eyes stung as she watched for daylight. I hope this isn't a dead end.

Finally she could see the water open above her and pulled up into the open air. She gasped as air filled her lungs and shook her hair clear of water. She looked around for the scout troopers, but two small groups of flames on the tree were the only trace of them. Twisting the throttle, Kirri shot off into the night.

-------

Raith Veller grunted as he strained against the caked in bolt. He lay on his back beneath an abused Ara-tech 74-Z speeder bike, attempting to replace a faulty repulsorlift coil. The young man was the only person in the small garage, but all around him speeders and droids sat awaiting repairs. A crack was quickly followed by a chuckle of victory as the bolt came free.

"Whoever decided the swamp was a good place for a joy ride needs to learn to do repairs themselves." The repulsor coil slowly slid free of its housing. The grime coating it was clearly mud and the black singeing at the ends declared it burnt out. "Of course, it wouldn't be easy." he grumbled. "Sithspit!"

Pulling the core free Raith slid out from under the bike "I think it is time to call it a night." he said to no one in particular as he stood and walked towards the door. He tossed his hydrospanner into a tool box and walked out into the cool Corellian night. Stepping into the moving sidewalk his mind began to wander. He watched as advertisements went by, not really caring what the newest halodrama was, or which stores had sales. All he cared about was getting back to his bed.

He finally stepped of the sidewalk at the entrance to Treasure Ship Row. The district encompassed the area around the Cornet city spaceport, and was well known as a gathering point for people of all sorts of backgrounds. The environment matched the individuals who inhabited it. Buildings were slowly crumbling from neglect and streets were filled with trash that blew about as well worn speeders flew back and forth on business.

The traffic tossed Raith's straw colored hair as he slowly walked three blocks to his apartment. The hall light flickered and buzzed as he placed his key into the slot. The door hummed and clicked before finally sliding aside for him.

"Jorus, I'm back." he announced to the figure sitting on the couch. His roommate glanced up, and returned to the dejarik game in front of him.

"About time, what, did you get mugged?" Jorus said rapidly, not taking an eye off of the board.

"Nope, some rich kid took their speeder through a swamp." Raith responded, sliding into the only chair that was not covered in junk. "Somehow he managed to cover the whole underside in mud, which solidified into one solid mass and fused it all together."

"Still, Ephin's got to be paying you good for the time right?"

"Fifty Credits an hour isn't all that good." Raith said. The conversation lulled as his roommate leaned forward to make a move.

"Did you hear the latest about the rebellion?" Jorus asked, returning to his watchful position.

"I don't really pay much attention to it." Raith said, shaking his head "besides you know the Diktat…"

"HA!" Jorus interrupted, quickly tapping two controls. On the board a huge hulking creature moved forward, before engaging a smaller creature. When the larger one quickly emerged the victor Jorus chuckled, a twinkle in his eye that forestalled further conversation. Raith knew from years of knowing him that trying to hold a conversation with Jorus while victory was close was like trying to stop a sun from going nova. Doomed to fail and nearly just as painful.

"Ya know what, don't worry about it." Raith said, slowly standing up and walking into the hallway.

"Did you get what you needed?" a male voice punctuated the darkness.

"No, the damn guards found me too quickly. I didn't even get within a klick of the transmitter." a woman's voice answered. "I'm just glad that the speeder held up long enough to get me out of there."

Six figures sat around an empty table in a dark room. The reason for the darkness was twofold: it kept everyone form identifying anyone else and it kept their meeting place secret from the outside world. And when you were plotting the overthrow of worlds, secrecy was a must.

"We need that transmitter code." a third voice chimed in, "if we can show the people that the Emperor is dead, they will have no choice but to side with us."

"But before we can begin swaying people we need to get someone at that terminal." the first voice said, "Do we have any ideas besides just going through the swamp?"

"Would another terminal work?" a purring voice chimed in.

"Perhaps, but we would be facing the same security. And besides, the swamp is our best way to get in quietly."

"As if a high-speed chase through the swamp was quiet." a young male voice said lightly.

"What about dropping people in using escape pods?"

"No, the speeders would be all over any crash in moments."

"Wait, that is it! Drop a pod in and send someone in on a speeder from the other direction."

The conversation stopped for a second as everyone thought.

"I think that will work. Logistics, can we get a ship by tomorrow night?"

"I can get one," the purring voice said

"How 'bout the speeder? Can it be fixed or do we need to replace it?"

"My man will have it fixed tomorrow."

"Excellent, everything is set for tomorrow night."

----------

Raith awoke with a start, trying to find the buzzing that had cut into his dream. His hand went to the nightstand and felt for his crono. He held it for a second, finally realizing that it wasn't going off. He set it down and picked up his small cylindrical comlink and hit the answer button.

"Yeah." he said, trying to shake off his sleepiness.

"Raith, it's Ephin. I know you were here late last night…"

"But you need me to come in?" Raith said, finishing his boss's sentence.

"You guessed it." the voice said, forcing some cheerfulness into the conversation. "The client owning the bike called in and needs it done as soon as possible."

"Rich boy wants another joy ride?" both men chuckled at the comment.

"Can you be here in half an hour?"

"Yeah, no problem." Raith clicked the comlink off and threw his sheets off. He slowly began grabbing his clothes as he walked for the door.

----------

The shop was completely different from what Raith left night. Twenty different techs in dark grey jumpsuits worked on a variety of speeders and droids. In the rear office Ephin, an aging, balding man sat talking over the bill he had just given a young couple. Raith walked over to his alcove and pulled out his tools, slid under the speeder and went back to work.

After three hours of pulling components out and cleaning the whole thing, Raith stood admiring the work. The underside gleamed where gunk had been and the new coat of polish had it almost new.

"It looks good kid." Ephin said, coming up alongside Raith "How long did it take?"

"All told, about four hours." he responded, knowing that the question was trying to get billing information. "Three new repulsor coils, another two needed cleaning. Half of the bolts were fused solid, so I replaced them and the worst of the paneling."

"Sounds like quite the job. That's why I gave it to you."

"Yeah well… any way I can meet this client?"

"Want to give them a piece of your mind?" Ephin's eye took on a sinister gleam as the corner of his mouth turned up. "Be here at seventeen hundred. Although I think you will be surprised when you do."