Chapter 1
Ebon Hawk
Twin Aces Shipping Co. HQ
Coruscant
3 Years after the Battle of Endor
"Krazzek, get up!" Matca Gopok Azzameen snapped to his copilot. who was still laying in bed. "It's time to deliver Ace's scheduled shipment to Naboo! Sleep in any longer and we'll be late!"
"Mmmm... You sure do love piloting that freighter, don't you?" The Zabrak shifted position on his bunk. Then, the lights came on and a bugle played. Krazzek jumped up and hit his head on the ceiling, falling out of his bunk shortly after as he tumbled off the bunk . That was about the time Matca's older brother, Ace Azzameen, came in with his MK-90 droid, Emkay, both of them having a good laugh.
"Rise and shine, Gerranza. We got work to do!" Ace said. "This is a very important job, especially considering this is the New Republic's first contact with Naboo since the fall of the Empire!"
"Exactly! Now snap to it!" Emkay laughed.
Krazzek grumbled something in his native Zabrak language as he got up off the floor, while Ace and Matca stepped out.
"So, Matca, how have you liked flying the Otana on the last few runs?" Ace asked, as they walked to the hangar.
"Liked? Ace, I loved it!" Matca said. "Flying that freighter gives me a feeling like no other. Just like when you first taught me to fly."
"Yeah, you bet I know..." Ace said. "As a matter of fact, my dad taught me how to fly..." They both then stopped. The joy in Ace's face was gone.
"I'm sorry, Ace. I wish that incident never had happened to your dad." Matca said.
"It's not your fault." Ace said. "So don't apologize. No offense, but it's a personal matter. Now let's focus on the present. Me and Aeron got a surprise for you. You have been helping the family business so much since we took you in, we decided to get you your own ship."
Matca's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"
Ace laughed. "This is no joke, lil' man. Me and Emon have been browsing around the ship dealers and have found a keeper you have been very interested in: A certain low-stock dynamic class freighter called the Ebon Hawk, which I may add we have taken the liberty of rebuilding her engines, reinforcing her hull, and upgrading. She now has new quad laser turrets, better engines and a better hyperdive that Aeron got from slicing into the Millienium Falcon's design database. She's now officially the fastest ship in the galaxy again."
"I-I-Is this a joke?" Matca managed to ask. He'd had his eye on the market for the Ebon Hawk for some time, but never imagined he would ever find it.
Ace looked straight in his eyes, smiling. "Do I look like I'm fooling? We got her for you! We know you've eye-balled It in all those vids in the library holocrons you got at Coruscant! And what better way to test her out and get a feel for her than on a shipping run?" He handed Matca some ship activation key cards. "Use the Ebon Hawk for the run to Naboo, and tell me how she does."
"Oh, I will! Thank you Ace, thank you!" Matca exclaimed in euphoria, giving his brother a hug. "We'll get on it asap!"
"Very well then, Captain Matca Azzameen! I'll let Trask know you're ready to head out! Good luck!" Ace said.
Ebon Hawk
Cockpit
"Wow! This is amazing!" Matca exclaimed as he sat down in the Pilot's Chair. The entire ship had been rebuilt, even the interior had been completely redone. Red and Blue trim surrounded the consoles, the seats were breathable and well-cushioned, the instrument displays were brightly lit... Everything on the Ebon Hawk looked as if it was brand new! It seemed as if the ship itself had come straight off of the assembly line!
"Not bad." Krazzek whistled, settling in the copilot's seat. "But will she perform?"
"Oh, you bet your spiky head she will!" Trask, a Trandoshan said as he walked into the cockpit. He was also one of Matca's close friends, and served as a gunner and security for the freighters Matca piloted. He also used to work on ship hyperdrives, so he was also a handy mechanic. "I was just in the engine room, and everything has been totally redone! She's so overhauled, that it is not even funny!"
Matca then decided to check the performance in a quick calculation on the ship's computer. His mind was blown away. The Ebon Hawk was capable of point four-five past light speed! Faster than the Millenium Falcon!
"Alright! let's see what she can do!" Matca exclaimed. "Everything's in the cargo hold already, I assume?"
Trask nodded. "They loaded the last crate as soon as I boarded."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Matca inserted the activation key cards and the Ebon Hawk's engines started up. He looked out the window, and saw Ace and Aeron standing nearby. They were waving to him. Matca waved back as they took off.
If only he knew that this was only the beginning of a great change in his life.
# # #
As soon as they were clear of the planet, Matca engaged the hyperdrive. The stars streaked by the windows. A flash of light, and the Ebon Hawk was now flying through hyperspace. They were on their way.
"Let's see the sit rep." Matca said.
"On it." Krazzek brought it up on the ship's computer. "Well, we will reach Naboo soon, though we have to stop at Dantooine for something Ace wanted us to pick up. He has a package there that he needs to get."
"Sounds good to me." Matca said. "I wonder how Han Solo will react when he finds out his ship isn't the fastest in the galaxy anymore..."
They then heard a loud clunk in the cargo hold.
Matca jumped in his chair. "What the hell was that?"
"I'll check it out. Stay here." Trask drew a blaster pistol from out of one of his hip holsters. He walked out of the cockpit to the main hold. It was dark. He got out his comlink.
"Matca, Krazzek, are the lights in the main hold malfunctioning? They're off..."
"They shouldn't be..." Krazzek said. "I'll turn on the emergency lights for you."
The emergency lights came on in a red hue. Trask then got the surprise of his life.
Standing in front of him was a damaged protocol Droid. And it wasn't C-3PO. No, this one looked much more hostile. It's squarish, angular frame was one of aggressive design. Some of it's wiring was visible on it's frame, exposed. It had obviously been through a lot.
"Uh… Guys, there's some sort of droid back here, did anyone…?"
"Assasination protocols activated!" It spoke, raising a blaster in it's hand!
It was then that Trask knew he was in trouble.
# # #
Matca and Krazzek heard a blaster go off, then Trask screaming in the cargo hold.
"Trask!" Matca put the Ebon Hawk on autopilot, getting his blaster pistol out of his backpack, while Krazzek grabbed a blaster rifle from a weapons rack in the cockpit. They ran into the hold, and saw a scary-looking rusty red droid holding Trask by the throat.
"Woah!" Matca yelled. "How did that get on board?!"
"Does it matter? Just shut up and shoot!" Kraz took aim with his rifle, clicking off the safety, taking aim.
The droid turned to Matca and Kraz. "Scanning possible hostile meatbags..." Suddely, it lowered the blaster. "Exclaimation: No! How can this be?!" It dropped Trask and fell to it's knees, bowing in front of Matca. "Apology: Forgive me! You are a descendant! Master! Forgive me for my unruly behavior! It's so difficult to keep control of at times!"
"Uh… What?" Matca was clearly confused. So was everyone else. Then, they heard a bunch of loud beeps and chirps. Rolling out from behind a container was an old T3 astromech droid! It's saucer-shaped head spinning this way and that, as it's camera eye flickered furiously.
"How did those get on board?" Kraz asked. "I don't recall the cargo manifest having any droids on it..."
"Groveling: We've been sealed here for eons, master!" The Protocol droid said. "Waiting under the command of my former master, General Revan, to awaken and guide the new owner of the Ebon Hawk. Only those who passed the sensor scan when they stepped aboard would activate us, and it's you! Thank the maker, it's you at last!"
Matca was now curious. "Kraz, let's take Trask to the medbay to see if he was injured in this fiasco. Stand up, droid. Both of you, walk with me. What are your designations?"
The angular, red droid stood up, saluting Matca. "Statement: HK-47, at your service master!"
"...And the astromech?" Matca asked as Krazeeek slung Trask's arm over his shoulder.
T3 beeped proudly.
HK-47 looked down at the old T3 unit. "Explanation: That is T3-M4, a long abiding companion of mine, and a companion of my former master. Irrelevant musing: My previous master had a copy of him built for his travels, though I don't know why he wouldn't have wanted the original… Revan was always strange like that."
T3 gave an annoyed buzz.
Matca was now curious. "Well, with all due respect, it looks like you and T3-M4 have seen better days, HK-47..."
T3 beeped sadly.
"Agreement: Indeed, master, indeed. We are both performing much below optimum efficiency. I am afraid that all that time locked away has put both of us in a state of disrepair."
"Well, if they came with the ship, I don't see why we shouldn't fix 'em up too. They could come in handy." Trask wheezed as they went into the med bay. "As long as they don't try to kill us again..."
"Well, we could use some extra help with the ship. And this HK unit could help with security." Matca said. "When we get to Naboo, we will have to see if we can get some parts for them."
"You do realize that is a long shot, don't you?" Kraz said. "These droids are over a thousand years old..."
T3 beeped loudly as if he was offended.
"No offense meant, T3. It's just going to be difficult finding exact matching parts." Kraz explained. We may just have to replace and adapt newer parts for them."
"Statement: Some upgrades may be long overdue anyway, master." HK-47 said. "Cautioning statement: I just hope one of you know how to handle a hydro-spanner correctly."
"Well, Naboo and Dantooine have some good droid shops, last time I checked." Matca said. "And thankfully, you are in the company of our droid expert." Matca motioned to Kraz.
"That's true." Kraz agreed. "I've taken extensive classes on the building, rebuilding, and refurbishing of droids. Upgrading you two should be a snap!"
T3 beeped happily.
"Relived statement: Thank goodness! A droid expert will be much welcomed, Master."
After examining Trask and treating his injuries, they heard a loud beep from the cockpiit.
"We must be coming up on Dantooine." Matca said. They all went to the cockpit, taking their seats. Sure enough, the timer was counting down from when they would exit hyperspace.
"Kraz, count down to hyperspace exit..."
Kraz's and Matca's hands were at the controls, readying the Ebon Hawk for it's hyperspace exit.
"Exiting Hyperspace in three… two… one..." Kraz, with the push of a few buttons, brought the ship out of hyperspace, and into Dantooine's orbit.
"So, where do we pick up this package?" Trask asked.
"The guy with the package said he would be waiting for us at the Khoonda settlement." Matca said. "Guess we had better radio in for a landing..." Matca put on his communications headset. "Khoonda landing tower, this is Matca Azzameen, Captain of the Ebon Hawk. We are requesting permission to land..."
After a pause, there was a response.
"Ebon Hawk, you are cleared for landing at Landing Pad One. Repeat, you are cleared for Landing Pad One." The operator spoke.
"Roger, tower. Ebon Hawk out." Matca took off his headset. He and Krazzek guided the Ebon Hawk through the atmosphere to the Khoonda settlement, and landed the Ebon Hawk on the designated landing pad.