Disclaimer: I do not own any Kotor characters.
Note: Many thanks to Jiara for the beta!
---------------------
Somewhere on the Outer Rim
He watched the way the light followed and accentuated her curves. The way it seemed to caress her and hold her aloft all at the same time. Shaking his head, he wondered how all the others gathered around her could not see what he did. The beauty, the power she possessed. She was going to be his, no one else deserved her.
Tapping his comlink, he spoke softly into it, "AL, you there?"
A slight burst of static, then, "I am here."
"The target still in sight?" This was spoken while he shifted slightly from his crouched position behind canisters stored haphazardly about the docking bay.
"Affirmative, he has not moved from the pazaak tables," came the calm reassurance.
Jaq grinned and rubbed his palms together, already mentally gathering himself for the next move. He took one last long look at her, and then set about his business. He strode with confidence toward the mechanics that were hustling about the bay, repairing the docked ships.
"Excuse me sir, I'm supposed to check the systems on Falla's Star." He met the grizzled mechanics hardened stare with a stolen confidence, and tugged gently on the sleeve of his 'borrowed' mechanic's suit. He knew what they saw when they looked at him, just a gangly kid that was always into trouble. He'd show them though.
The old man gave him a once over and grunted an affirmative. Or, he assumed it was one, because the man turned his back on him and began rummaging through his tools once more. Jaq couldn't quite staunch the excited smile that crossed his lips as he turned around and made his way to 'her'. The ship of his dreams... the one he was going to steal.
He made his way purposefully, but not too hurried, toward the ship. She was a beauty, and top of the line. A small personal freighter, just the right kind for him and AL. They were going to get off this rock and start making a name for themselves. All they needed was her.
Walking up the boarding ramp, he lifted a hand and slid it across the hull. A small caress before he entered. He made his way to the bridge. Ever since he had seen her those few months ago, he had studied everything he could find on this type of ship. The blueprints he had gotten AL to acquire, the systems analysis information he had bartered a bottle of Corellian whiskey for.
He felt the foolish grin on his face as he slid into the pilot's seat. "Hey baby," he whispered. Fingers flew over the control panels as if he had been sitting in this chair his whole life. He brought up systems information, checked to make sure all was well, and then threw in errant commands that one wouldn't notice unless one knew what to look for. He absently wished AL could be here to double-check his work, but someone had to keep an eye on the owner.
While trying to bring up the primary systems, the access code screen flashed at him and he felt the panic well up momentarily. He calmed slightly as he remembered the password the Twi'lek dancer had given him. That had cost him hours of endless errand running for the woman. He had learned she was into a lot more than just dancing by the second day, and had decided then and there to never underestimate the people that the big timers considered 'fools' and 'imbeciles.' They seemed to know of more than they let on.
Grinning foolishly, he continued to make small, but significant adjustments to the primary codes and security systems. He began shutting down the screens and putting the systems back on standby. Reluctantly sliding from the pilot's seat, he made his way to the security console and sliced into the camera feeds. It took a bit of work, but he managed to erase and loop back most of the feeds to cover up his time on the ship.
Stepping back on the boarding ramp, he scanned the throng of people to see if anyone took notice of his presence. They didn't; he snorted at the thought. No one ever took notice of him. Not really. Unless they caught him skifting at pazaak, or lifting a few loose creds. He could usually charm the latter people, but not the die-hard pazaak players: those he just had to outrun.
As he made his way out of the docking bay he tapped his comlink, "AL? Status?"
Another burst of static, "Target is trying to acquire the services of Ms. Ave'loa."
Jaq snickered lightly, and wondered how many creds Ave would make off with before the bugger woke up to find her gone. "Okay, I'm done here, meet me back at our place," he replied. Not that their place was much more than an abandoned room off the back of a run down dive. No one else could stand it, the smell of garbage, vomit, the rowdy all night noise, but it was home. Until he got off this rock that is. That last thought conjured up a smile that would have stopped a few people in their tracks, if they had witnessed it. It was a smile full of hopes and dreams, one never seen on his face.
------------------------
He was lying on the old, weathered blankets that made up his bed when AL arrived. Pazaak cards were scattered about as he tried to build a better side deck. Glancing up at AL, he grinned foolishly. "I got in and out no problem, double checked all the alterations you said to make when I got back," he picked up a worn datapad and waved it around, "So, after 'Mr. I've no time for runts like you' picks up his cargo and goes to drop it off, we can slip onto the ship and get out of here."
He sighed in exasperation as AL just looked at him and exhibited none of Jaq's excitement about their plan moving along. Guess that was something he should be used to by now. It's what he gets for having a droid as a partner and best friend. He couldn't really complain though, at least AL never called him a stupid kid or told him he was worthless and all that bull. Two years they had worked together now. They were a good team.
Jaq jumped up and patted AL on his metallic shoulder. "Why don't you power down, I'll go check out what's going on. He won't deliver his cargo until the afternoon, the normal time." The A7-L4 droid shifted his photoreceptors in the direction of his companion, "Affirmative, I shall power down and recharge for the evening." With that, he made his way to the opposite corner and connected to the power station and began to power down his systems. The dimming of his eyes and the slow whirring of cooling mechanics the only sound coming from him.
Jaq had found AL a couple of years ago in an old storage facility. He had been some pirate's protocol/maintenance droid. So after some begging, pleading, and conning, he had gotten one of the techs that frequented the cantina to look at AL and do a bit of repair. That deal had cost him a few good pazaak cards and some information. It had been worth it though. He didn't realize how alone he had felt until he had AL around.
Jaq grabbed his pazaak deck and went to see who he could swindle creds from; they were going to need some for their trip.
---------------------------
He paced back and forth across from the side entrance to the docking bay. The target had left a good 20 minutes ago and AL had yet to com him and let him know that the cargo was being delivered. Running his sweaty hands against his 'borrowed' mechanics suit, he almost jumped out of his skin when his comlink beeped. "AL?"
"Target has reached his destination, I am on my way to your position," was the unhurried reply.
Jaq envied the calmness of the droid, and it helped to silence his nerves. They were going to take the ship and get out of here. He kept repeating that litany to himself until AL showed up a few minutes later.
"Okay, we walk calmly toward the ship, anyone stops us, let me do the talking." His voice quavered slightly with excitement. They were almost there. He patted the pocket on his suit to make sure the new ID coding chip for the ship was still there. She was going to be the Blue Star.
As they walked toward the ship, his hand brushed lightly against the blaster at his hip. It was an unfamiliar weight. He usually didn't have to carry one around; living here for years and being on friendly terms with the inhabitants of the outpost, it had been unnecessary. Out there though, he knew he was going to need one.
No one in the bay took notice of the kid and his droid; they were a familiar enough sight not to elicit a reaction. The head mechanic had been trying to give the kid a job for a while now, after seeing how enamored he was of ships. So now that he was in a mechanic's uniform, they just assumed he had finally accepted.
As they neared the boarding ramp, Jaq felt a tightening in his gut, a sensation that usually warned him something bad was going to happen. He looked around but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. The owner usually spent a couple of hours with the Boss he'd brought in cargo for. He couldn't quite shake the uneasy feeling though as he boarded the ship and headed for the cockpit.
Looking out of the cockpit window as he slid into the pilot's seat, he took no notice of anything unusual. His fingers flew over the controls as he brought up the systems. "AL, close the boarding ramp and check the security systems." After giving his command and logging into the primary systems to take over, he was unprepared for the sudden cold, metallic grip on his arm.
"I am afraid that is unacceptable," was the emotionless answer from AL.
Jaq jerked his head up to look back at the droid. His friend and partner for two long years. "What are you getting on about AL, we need to get out of here before Mr. High and Mighty comes back, or the techs notice the ship preparing to take off." He tried to wrench his arm from AL's hold, but couldn't manage it. With a quizzical gaze, he peered up at AL, "What's your malfunction AL? We need to get going. Now let me go!"
The droid seemed unfazed by Jaq's attempts to get out of his grip and from his pleading questions. "Override: M457LH. Unauthorized commands."
Jaq looked aghast at AL. They had done other questionable things in the last couple of years. The droid had never acted like this before. True, he'd never tried to steal anything as big as a ship, but still, this was not right. "AL, come on, what happened, did some schutta mess with your systems?"
AL's photoreceptors flashed brightly, and then dimmed slowly as he ran an internal diagnostic. "I am functioning as intended."
Jaq was beginning to panic in earnest now. Something was definitely wrong. He wondered if the owner had somehow found out what he was up to and had AL messed with. Maybe that dancer mentioned it, or one of the mechanics took notice of his visit yesterday and commented on it. Any number of things could have tipped him off. Sure, he knew there may have been complications, he had prepared for being found onboard the ship, he could have always said he just wanted to see the inside of her or some such bantha fodder. He couldn't fathom who would mess with AL though. Come after him maybe, but mess with AL? He was just a droid, no one noticed droids.
He stood up from the seat and took a quick glance out the window as he tried to formulate a plan. The techs were still going about their work; no one was taking undue notice of the ship. Turning his gaze back to AL, he really wished he had asked more questions of the tech that had repaired him all those years ago. He had just never been really adept at working on droids. Now computers and ships were different.
"AL, we had this all planned out, you and me, getting off this rock. Hunting down those upgrades you wanted." He didn't like the pleading sound of his voice, but he was getting worried and scared. "Come on partner, you can't break on me now. I need you."
AL's eyes flashed once again, his hold on Jaq becoming a bit lighter. "Ship systems must be shut down. Sentient Jaq must be escorted from the ship."
Jaq grimaced and took another quick look out the window, then froze. The owner was standing in the docking bay area talking to a tech. His panic welled up again and he began frantically looking about and trying to shake off AL. "We don't have time for this, he's here. We have to go now."
AL's response was a tightening of his grip, "Negative."
He can't say why he did what he did next. The blaster was just suddenly in his hand. There was no conscious thought. Jaq wanted off this planet and this was the only way he could see. This ship. Now. He placed the blaster next to AL, where his command core was, and blasted him. AL's eyes seemed to brighten, and then dim quickly, his grip lessened and he fell to the deck. Jaq took a bewildered step back, and then regained his senses. Looking out the window again he could see the owner hedging his way back from the tech, getting ready to leave.
Running to the ramp controls, he closed them then hit the pilot's seat jarringly. His fingers once again flew over the controls and the ship began to respond. He saw everyone turn and look up at the sound of the ship's engines coming online. He gave them all a sardonic grin and launched out of the bay. He continued out into space, never looking back.
After the initial rush of the launch, and hitting hyperspace, he looked over at the droid he had once called friend. A few silent tears slipped from his eyes and he angrily swiped them away. "Stupid broken droid," he whispered in anguish. "I didn't need you anyway."
----------------------------
Ebon Hawk
Atton shook his head to clear the memory away and gave T3-M4 and Vyshen a frowning glare. "Droids can't be trusted; they break, in the head." He turned back to the blue glare of hyperspace as the Exile gave T3-M4 a soft shrug and pat on the head.
Vyshen gave Atton's stiff form another glance, wondering what had made him dislike droids so intensely, before leaving the cockpit and heading for the main hold.