Star Wars
Episode 4
A New Warlock
Space was littered with dangers, none more so then the presence of the Galactic Empire. A body so bold and cruel it left a bitter feeling wherever it touched. Of course, as with any sort of dictator ship, there were those dedicated to its downfall. And as such, when these dissidents were discovered, they were hunted down. So it was no surprise as the small Corellian gun ship fled from its much bigger ad heavily armoured opponent: A Star Destroyer. Shots were traded, bouncing harmlessly off shields.
In the corridor of the smaller ship, two droids moved along quickly.. One of them, in the shape of a woman, but with golden in colour, another squat little thing moved beside her. Suddenly around them the ship shuddered.
"Did you hear that? They've shut down the main reactor!" exclaimed Gwen-P0, beside her, the little droid beeped.
"I'm afraid there'll be no escape for the princess this time" she added, looking around as guards ran past them towards a nearby air lock. Everyone looking up as the sound of docking clamps thudded around them. Slowly the guards took aim at the door, waiting. A moment later it sparked and hissed, then fell in, a fire fight breaking out between the guards and the Storm Troopers that entered, it was short lived however as the guards were quickly cut down. Smoke filled the hallway, and the Storm Troopers moved to the side as a loud breathing filled the air, a black armoured figure stepping onto the small ship. Slowly he looked around the corpses before him, then strode forwards.
In another part of the ship, Gwen was looking for her small comrade.
"Leon-D2 where are you?" she called out. There was a soft beep from one of the small hallways, and Gwen peered in seeing a woman kneeling down in front of Leon. She looked up, and quickly pulled a hood up before moving away, Leon turning to Gwen and moving forwards.
Further away, the black clad man held the throat of one of the guards tightly.
"Where are the plans you stole from us?" the black clad man demanded. The guard struggled in his grip.
"I don't know about any plans, we're on a diplomatic mission out of Camelot" he choked.
"If this is a consular ship then where is the ambassador?" the black clad man replied, he tightened his grip, relishing the fell of the other mans life draining away before he tossed him aside like a broken toy. He whirled around to the nearest Storm Trooper.
"Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans, and bring me the passengers I want them alive!" he ordered, the Storm Troopers running off.
They quickly found one of their first targets, the woman clad in white, she saw them as well and levelled a blaster, taking one of the Storm Troopers out, the other one however managed to get off a shot and she slumped to the deck, unconscious.
For Gwen and Leon however it was a different matter, Leon had led them half way across the ship, towards the escape pods.
"Where are you going? Droids aren't permitted down there" Gwen scolded him. Leon for his part continued on to one of the escape pods, opening the door. Gwen was about to protest more when there was the sound of laser blasts from the hallway. Quickly she ducked inside, Leon beeping as he closed the hatch and ejected the escape pod. Both droids watching as the Star Destroyer rolled out of sight, along with their own home until a few minuets ago.
"Funny, the damage doesn't look as bad from out here" Gwen observed, beside her Leon whistled in response.
"Look, there goes another one" said a technician on the Star Destroyers bridge, watching as an escape pod ejected from their small captive.
"Life signs?" asked the commander.
"None, shall I have it destroyed?" asked the Technician.
"It's probably just a malfunction" said the commander.
Back on the small ship, the woman was brought, cuffed to stand before the Dark Clad man. She looked at him with contempt.
"Darth Balinor. Only you could be so bold" she said.
"You will tell me now what you have done with those plans" he replied. The woman blinked.
"I don't know what your talking about, we're on a diplomatic mission" she stated. Balinor leant forwards, pointing his finger at her.
"You Princess Morgana, are part of the Rebel alliance and a Traitor, take her away!" he ordered. As she was led away another man moved up beside him.
"Holding her is dangerous, if word were to get back to the senate…" he began. Balinor waved him off.
"That will no longer be a problem, the Emperor has seen to it. Have you discovered the whereabouts of the plans?"
"No, but several escape pods were jettisoned during the attack" the man admitted. Balinor stopped.
"Send a contingent of Troopers to the surface, she must have hidden them inside one of those pods" he ordered.
"Yes sir" the man said, turning away.
On the surface of the nearby desert world Gwen and Leon moved away from their landed escape pod.
"what a desolate place this is" Gwen muttered looking out across the great sand dunes. Beside her Leon beeped, and turned away.
"Where do you think your going?" Gwen demanded, Leon beeped in reply.
"Well I'm not going that way, its much too rocky" Gwen replied. Leon beeped several times in response. Gwen shook her golden head.
"no, this way looks much safer" she replied. Leon beeped again, then blew a raspberry. Gwen kicked him for good measure.
"Very Well, go that way, you'll be rusting within a week you near sided scrap pile" she said moving off Leon watched for a moment, then beeped again. Gwen looked back
"No!, I refuse to go that way!" she said, then turned and carried on her way. Leon watched her for a moment more then slowly made his own way towards the rocks.
Night soon began to fall as Leon trundled forwards, past cave openings. He began to slow however when several loose pebbles fell nearby. He slowly looked around, catching a glimpse of something small ducking behind a large boulder. Slowly he swivelled his domed head around again, then set off a little more quickly, hearing soft voice talking. Leon made it no more than four feet, when without warning something jumped up in front of him, it shot off a small electrical charge. Leon whined in protest, then went ridged and fell forwards, the trolls that had ambushed him. They quickly set about picking him up, before carrying quickly to their Sand Crawler. He was fitted with a restraining bolt, unceremoniously dumped under a large tube before being sucked up into it.
Meanwhile, Gwen found herself trudging through the thick sand dunes, cursing Leon.
"He tricked me into going this, but he'll fare no better" she grumbled as she trudged to the top of another sand dune, she looked out seeing nothing but more sand. Then she brightened, seeing something flashing at the top of a nearby dune. She began to wave frantically
"Hey! Over here! Help! Please help!"
"Lord Balinor, our surface teams have located the remains of several escape pods, but so far they have not found any trace of the plans" Reported the imperial commander as he reported to his superior Balinor turned to him.
"Have your men widen the search area, I want those plans" he ordered.
"Yes sir" he said with a bow
On the surface of the planet, inside the Trolls sand crawler, Leon slowly powered up again, even though he was unable to move far, or quickly, however he quickly became excited when he heard a familiar voice.
"Ohh my head" Gwen said as she powered up, Leon beeping enthusiastically. She looked over, standing and clasped him.
"Leon-D2? Oh it is you it is you!" she cried with relief.
The farm was small, consisting of a moisture collection station a small hut and a few small buildings, including a utility shed. The Raven haired boy, was looking over some plans, when he heard a woman's voice calling him.
"Merlin! Merlin!" he moved over to the edge of the large pit that served for the base of the moisture collector and looked down at his Aunt Vivienne.
"Yeah?" he called, she looked up at him.
"Your uncle wants you to give him a hand sorting out the new droids!"
"But I was going over the plans for the new power converter!" he called back.
"I know, you can go back to them later, but for now just give him a hand!" she called up. Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Alright" he said, she smiled up at him and he waved at her before moving off.
The Troll Sand Crawler had come to a halt on the edge of the little farm. Merlin moving up beside his stern faced, but loving uncle Gorlois. The man looked over at him as the trolls lined up several droids, including Gwen and Leon. Gorlois and Merlin moved up the line of droids, passing several, stopping at a red domed one.
"That one" Gorlois said, a troll moving over to it, the two men moving on to stop at Gwen.
"And you, I suppose you're programmed for Etiquette and Protocol" he said.
"Protocol, why sir that's my primary function" Gwen said.
"I have no need of a protocol droid, what I do need is one that can work on moisture converters"
"Why my first job was programming Vaporators, very similar to your converters" Gwen replied.
"Can you speak Bochi?"
"Why of course sir, I am fluent in over six million forms of communication-"
"Ok she'll do" Gorlois cut her off. The Troll with them nodded and removed the restraining bolt. Merlin moving off.
"Come on you two" Merlin said walking away, behind them Leon tiptoed forwards about a foot, before a signal from a troll immobilised him. Gwen looked back, then turned to follow their new master, when Merlin stopped, and turned back, the red droid was following but at a snails pace.
"Well come on red!" Merlin said, a bit annoyed. The droid moved forwards again before there was a pop and smoke bellowed from its head. Merlin moved over to it.
"Uncle! This Elyan has a bad motivator!" he called. Gorlois turned to the nearby troll.
"What are you trying to pull?" he demanded, through narrowed eyes. The troll held up her hands
"What?" she demanded.
Behind Merlin, Gwen tapped him on the shoulder.
"If I might be so bold, but that Leon is in top condition, and I've worked with him before" she said pointing to Leon. Merlin nodded.
"Uncle, what about that Leon?" he called. Gorlois looked at it, then back at the Troll.
"What about that blue one, we'll take one instead" he said. The Troll nodded, and another moved over to remove the restraining bolt from Leon, even as a couple of others pulled the Elyan back into the crawler.
"I'm sure you'll be pleased with that one" Gwen said. Merlin nodded, but didn't reply. Instead he turned away, Gwen and Leon following him.
"And don't you forget this!" Gwen snapped at Leon who whistled in reply.
Far away across the dunes, the Storm Troopers had found another crashed pod. Unlike the others they had found, this one had tracks leading away. One of the Storm Troopers bent down, then carefully picked up something from the sand.
"Look sir, Droids" he said, handing it to the commander.
Back at the Farm Merlin tended to the two droids, Gwen standing happily as the floor beneath her slowly lowered.
"Thank the maker, this oil bath is going to feel so good" she said. Merlin meanwhile was hunched over Leon, cleaning him up. Finally he threw the cloth down.
"It's just not fair!" he moaned. Gwen looked up at him.
"Excuse me sir?" she said.
"Merlin" he replied.
"Excuse me sir Merlin" she corrected. Merlin grinned and shook his head.
"No, just Merln" he said. Gwen seemed puzzled for a moment, then began to talk as the oil bath ended.
"And I am Gwen-P0, human cyborg relations, and this is my counterpart, Leon-D2" she introduced. Merlin waved at the little Droid.
"Hello" he said. Leon beeped in response. He looked briefly over at Gwen.
"So what was the question?" he asked.
"You said it wasn't fair, is there something we could do to help?" she asked. Merlin smiled as he began to dig around Leon's holo projector.
"Not unless you can speed up time, make it harvest season and get me into the academy" he replied.
"Oh, no I'm afraid" Gwen replied.
"Didn't think so" Merlin replied. He continued to dig around Leon's holo projector. "You know, you're awfully beat up for such a small droid" he admitted.
"Actually, I'm surprised we're in the condition we are, what with the Rebellion and all" Gwen stated. Merlin looked over in shock.
"You know of the Rebellion against the Empire?" he asked.
"That's how we can to be in your service, so to speak" Gwen replied.
"Have you been in many battles?" Merlin asked.
"Several I think, but I'm not well versed in war stories, but it's how we ended up here. But I'm not actually sure where here is" she admitted. Merlin nodded and leaned towards Leon again.
"Well, if there's a bright centre to the Galaxy, you're on the planet that its furthest from" Merlin said.
"Oh" Gwen replied. Merlin fell silent as he continued to work on Leon.
"Well, whatever you have stuck in here my little friend, is not-" Merlin said, then fell back as Leon's holo projector came to life, showing a beautiful woman.
"Help me General Gaius, you're my only hope" she said.
"Who's that?" Merlin asked.
"I'm not exactly sure" Gwen said. "I think she was on our last mission, a person of some import if I recall"
"She sounds like she's in trouble" Merlin said as the woman repeated the words over and over, before suddenly flickering out.
"Hey where'd she go? Bring her back" Merlin said. Leon beeped, Merlin looked at Gwen.
"He says its an old memory fragment, not important" Gwen said.
"It looked important" Merlin replied. "Can't you play it back?" he asked Leon. Leon beeped a couple of times.
"What message? The one you've just been playing for us! the one rattling around inside your rusty innards!" Gwen snapped.
"Merlin!" Aunt Vivienne called from the house. Merlin stood and handed Gwen the tool he'd been using.
"Here see if you can do something with him" he said, then turning left the utility shed. Leon beeped a couple of times.
"No, I don't think he likes you" Gwen replied. Leon beeped again
"No, I don't like you either" She added. Leon gave a small sad beep.
In the house, Merlin sat down to dinner, his uncle was already there, his aunt dishing it up.
"You know, I think those two droids might have been stolen" Merlin said as his aunt sat down.
"What makes you say that?" asked his uncle.
"There was a message, some woman asking for a General Gaius, do you know who that is?" Merlin asked. His uncle and aunt looked at each other, but Merlin missed it.
"I wonder if he means the old Physician" he mused.
"That man is mad Merlin, and those Droids belong to us now, first thing tomorrow you're going to take them to have their memories wiped." his uncle admonished. Merlin sighed but nodded, then brightened up.
"Actually, if these droids do work out I was thinking of submitting my application to the academy this year" he said. His uncle blinked. "There's more than enough droids" Merlin persisted.
"Merlin, harvest time is when I need you the most" He replied.
"But Lancelot's going"
"Merlin, I promise, once this harvest is done, I'll let you apply" Merlin sighed and threw down his spoon as he stood.
"Where are you going?" asked Vivienne.
"Looks like nowhere" Merlin replied, storming out. When he was gone Vivienne turned to Gorlois.
"You can't keep him here forever, all his friends are leaving" she said softly. Gorlois sighed and looked at his wife.
"Next year, I promise I'll make it up to him next year" he vowed.
The room was large, spacious, a large view screen dominating the far wall. Morgana took it all in as she was led into the room, a woman turning to face her as she approached.
"Grand Moff Morgause, I should have known it would be you holding Balinor's leash" she said. Morgause smiled, cruelly.
"Princess Morgana, charming to the last" she said. "You have been quite the nuisance" she added.
"She still refuses to say what has become of the plans, or the location of the Rebel base." Balinor said. Morgause lifted an eyebrow.
"Well, I think my dear, its time you learned we had more powerful methods of persuasion" Morgause said, then looked at Balinor.
"Take her to the interrogation chamber" he said.
"Wait, you can't!" Morgana said as Balinor began to move away.
"Then tell me the location of the hidden rebel base" Morgause said. Morgana suddenly became very quiet. "Just as I thought, take her" she said.
Merlin walked back into the utility hut, looking around, seeing no sign of either Gwen or Leon. Slowly he lifted up a small remote and pressed a button. There was a clatter behind him.
"What are you doing back there?" he asked As Gwen moved forwards.
"Oh please, don't deactivate me, I tried to stop him, I really did"
"what are you talking about?" Merlin asked.
"He kept babbling on about his mission" Gwen said. Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Oh no" he sighed, running out, Gwen behind him. He held up a pair of binoculars he had grabbed from the shed and looked out, the way the tracks were leading.
"He's nowhere in sight" Merlin moaned.
"Excuse me Master Merlin, but couldn't we just go after him?" Gwen asked. Merlin shook his head.
"too Dangerous with the Drakes, or worse" he said. "No, we'll have to go in the morning" he said.
"Merlin!, I'm shutting off the power now!" his uncle called. Merlin sighed.
"Be right there!" he called back. "That little droid is going to get me into big trouble" Merlin said.
"Oh he excels at that" Gwen replied
Morgana struggled as she was strapped into an interrogation chair, Balinor leaning over her.
"Now princess we will discuss the location of your secret rebel base" he said, Morgana's eyes going wide as behind Balinor a black orb like robot floated into view.
"Merlin…Merlin!...MERLIN" Gorlois shouted, a confused frown falling on his features when he didn't answer. Slowly he made his way to the house.
"Have you seen Merlin?" he asked Vivienne who was putting breakfast together.
"He left early this morning, he took the new droids as well" she replied. Gorlois sighed.
"We'll he'd better have them back here by noon and with their memories wiped or there'll be hell to pay" he muttered.
Far from the farm, the small hover car raced across the desert, Merlin at its wheel, Gwen sitting next to him.
"Look, there's his tracks" Merlin said pointing. Slowly he brought the hover car to a halt, getting out, Gwen just behind him, slowly he knelt down onto his stomach and looked over the edge of the small ridge with his binoculars.
"Those are Drake nests alright, but I don't see any- no there they are, two of them" he muttered as Two Drakes, small, dragon like creatures moved into view. His vision was obscured a moment later as a third Drake, one he hadn't noticed as it had been just under the other side of the ridge reared up, screeching. Gwen fell back with a yell, off the small ridge as The Drake battered at Merlin, before the man fell unconscious. Slowly it dragged him back towards the hover Car, searching for more food, dumping him next to it as the two Drakes from below moved up to join it.
From the shadows Leon watched everything sadly, giving a soft whistle, turning his domed head as an unearthly sound filled the air. The Drakes around the car looked up and hissed in fright as a hooded man approached, they ran fearfully, back over the ridge. The man moved up to Merlin and knelt down, checking him over. From his hiding place Leon gave a small whistle the man looking up at him and pulling down his hood to reveal a kindly old face.
"Don't be frightened my little friend" he said, gesturing Leon forwards. Leon whistled and tooted again. The old man gestured to Merlin, who was groaning.
"Oh don't worry, he'll be fine" he said. On the ground Merlin opened his eyes, blinking into the sun.
"You?" he asked confused as the old man helped him to sit.
"Careful there young Merlin, you took quite a knock" the man told him. "What brings you out this far anyway?" he asked. Merlin looked over at Leon.
"This little droid" he said. "Keeps saying he's on a mission and something about a General Gaius, do you know who that is?" Merlin asked as the man looked at the droid.
"General Gaius…. General Gaius Now that's a name I haven't heard in many years" the man said softly.
"Do you know him?" asked Merlin. The man smiled.
"Of course I know him" he said touching his chest. "He's me" he said. Merlin frowned.
"Then he must be yours or something" Merlin said. Gaius frowned.
"I don't recall ever owning a droid before" he admitted. Then frowned as off in the distance the Drakes began to roar. He quickly helped Merlin to stand.
"Come, we should get to shelter, the Drakes are easily scared, but when they return it will be in numbers" Gaius cautioned Merlin nodded, and went to move to the hover car, when behind him Leon beeped. Merlin turned and looked at the ridge.
"Gwen" he said softly, moving over.
Gwen was in a small jumble halfway down a slight incline when they found her, her left arm missing from its socket where one of the Drakes had tried to take a bite. Merlin and Gaius both helped the droid to sit up.
"Oh leave me master Merlin, I'm done for" she said.
"What sort of talk is that?" Merlin asked Gently. Beside him Gaius nodded.
"Easy does it" he said as they lifted her up.
The made quick time back to Gaius's small hut, Merlin working on Gwen to fix her arm. Gaius meanwhile was looking at Leon.
"So you say this little droid was looking for me"? he asked.
"Yep that's the story" Merlin admitted. Gaius leant forwards.
"Why?" he asked. As if in response Leon's holo projector came to life, the beautiful woman standing there, the other's watching.
"General Gaius, years ago you served with my father during the great purge to bring peace to the galaxy. That peace is now threated. Hidden within this Leon unit are the complete technical and offensive schematics of the empires newest weapon. This information must reach the Rebel contacts on Camelot. I implore you, help me General Gaius, our my only hope" the image faded. And Gaius sat back, his expression thoughtful. Slowly he turned to Merlin.
"I have something for you" he said, then reached over, opening a chest, and pulling out the hilt of something and handing it to Merlin. Merlin took it, depressed a button a brilliant green blade shooting to life. Merlin waved it a bout for a moment then looked at Gaius.
"It was your father's lightsaber" he said.
"My fathers?" asked Merlin as he waved it again.
"He was an excellent fighter, and skilled in the art of magic, and a good friend" Gaius said softly. Merlin pressed the switch again.
"You must learn the ways of magic Merlin, if you are to come with me to Camelot" Gaius said. Merlin let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Camelot? I'm not going to Camelot. There's going to be hell to pay when I get home anyway" Merlin said.
"That's your uncle speaking" Gaius told him. Merlin rolled his eyes. "Merlin, I can't do this alone" Gaius told him. Merlin sighed and shook his head.
"I can take you as far as Rising Sun, you can get a ship from there" Merlin said. Gaius sighed and sat back.
She proved most resistant to the torture" Balinor said as he approached Morgause.
"As I thought she would. But we have other means at our disposal, more.. personal means" she said. Then she leant forwards.
"Set a course for Camelot" she said. "Perhaps a demonstration of this stations fire power will convince her otherwise" Morgause told him.
The Sand Crawler was a wreck when Merlin pulled up the Hover car beside it. Trolls lay scattered on the ground, dead, gorge marks on their chests and in some case faces.
"This was the work of Drakes alright, look there are Drake fathers everywhere" he said pointing. Gaius shook his head.
"No, look the feather's are too widely scattered, and the gorge marks are too clean, and besides Drakes take any pray to their nests before they kill them. This was made to look like a drake attack, but those markings on the bodies. Those are blaster shots" Gaius said.
"So what happened?" asked Merlin.
"By the looks of it I'd say these people were killed by Storm Troopers, see the half hidden foot prints?" Gaius said. Merlin nodded and frowned.
"But these are the Trolls that sold us Gwen and Leon, why would Storm Troopers kill them?"
"Because they may well know just how valuable the information we now possess is" Gaius said.
"But then, if the droids led them to the Trolls, then the trolls manifest.. would lead them…"his voice trailed off, "Home" he said running for the Hover Car.
"Wait Merlin, its too dangerous!" Gaius called, but Merlin was beyond hearing. Gaius, Gwen and Leon watching as Merlin sped off.
Merlin arrived back at the farm to see nothing but smoking ruins, destroyed droids, and horribly enough, the skeletons of his Uncle and Aunt. His aunt still clutching to her husband's hand. He turned away, feeling tears well up in his eyes and looked away in disgust. He took a deep steadying breath, then not trusting himself to look back, turned the Hover car around, and sped away.
He arrived back at the crawler, seeing Gwen laying the corpses of trolls onto a pyre the had built in his absence. Gwen looked over sadly, then returned to her gruesome task, while Gaius moved over to Merlin.
"There was nothing you could have done Merlin, had you been there, you would be dead too and the droids would now be in the hands of the Empire" Gaius said gently. Merlin nodded.
"I'm coming with you, to Camelot, I want to train to be a magic user, like my father before me" he said. Gaius nodded silently.
Once the task of laying the Trolls to rest had been completed, they all got back into the car, Merlin speeding it away, before eventually they arrived at a ridge overlooking a small space port town.
"Rising Sun, you'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy" Gaius stated. Merlin nodded and set the car off again, into the town. As they passed the check point several Storm troopers approached.
"Where did you get those droids?" one demanded.
"They're for sale if you want them" Gaius replied. The Storm Trooper looked at him.
"These aren't the droids your looking for" Gaius said.
"These aren't the droids we're looking for" the Storm Trooper said.
"We can go about our business" Gaius told him.
"They can go about their business" the guard repeated.
"Move along" Gaius said. The Storm Trooper moved aside.
"Move along, move along" he said, waving them past. Merlin moved the car forwards, not looking back until they reached a small clearing. Slowly they all got out, Merlin helping Leo down from where he was strapped in.
"We'll have to sell the car" Gaius said.
"I know" Merlin replied, even as a Troll moved up to them.
Gaius led them into a cantina, dimly lit, with various aliens from snout nosed Wildren to the ethereal Drochra. Slowly the group looked around.
"Hey you!" they looked over at the bar, the bar tender pointing at them. "We don't serve their kind"
"What?" asked Merlin.
"Your droids, they'll have to wait outside" the Bar Tender said. Merlin nodded and looked at Gwen and Leon.
"You two wait outside, and stay out of sight" he whispered. Gwen seemed almost too happy to be asked to leave, but Leon at least gave a small protest as he turned around. Slowly Merlin and Gaius moved forwards, towards the bar. The bartender looked up at them.
"I'm looking to charter a ship, to go to Camelot" Gaius said. Across the room a dark figure looked up, its long nose twitching before it ran from the bar, no one seeming to notice. The bar tender nodded over to a far corner. Gaius looked around then at Merlin. "Stay here" Merlin nodded.
"No problem" he said, watching Gaius move off. He turned back to the bar man and gave a small smile, aware of two ugly aliens watching him from right next to him.
Gaius slipped into a seat in front of a young, blond haired man.
"I've been told you're the people I need to see about chartering a ship" Gaius said. The blonde man leant forwards.
"I'm Arthur Pendragon, this here is Gwaine the wookiee and we smuggle old man, we don't run a ferry service" he replied.
"You can be well paid for your service" Gaius told him. Arthur leant back, looking over towards the bar.
"Looks like your friend's got some bother" he said. Gaius looked around and saw the two ugly aliens accosting Merlin like a piece of trash.
"My friend, he doesn't like you!" said the squat snout faced Wilderen.
"Sorry" Merlin said, turning away.
"I don't like you either" the wilderen added poking him. "So you just watch yourself, I have the death penalty in two systems"
"I'll watch out" Merlin promised.
"Is there some problem?" asked Gaius as he re-joined Merlin.
"No" Merlin replied.
"Good, then let me buy you both a drink and we can put this behind us" Gaius said, "before someone get's hurt" he added.
"You'll be dead!" the Wilderin said grabbing Merlin. What happened next was mostly a blur. There was the snap hiss of a lightsaber coming to life, before the Wilderin's head left it's body, and the other creatures arm left its shoulder. Slowly Gaius lowered his lightsaber, turning it off. He tossed the bar man some coins, and he in turn nodded at a couple of people to clean up the mess. Slowly Gaius led Merlin back to the table with the blonde haired man and the giant hairy thing.
"Have you considered my offer?" asked Gaius sitting down, Merlin at his side.
"How much are you paying?" asked the man.
"Seven thousand now, another ten when we arrive" Gaius said. The man whistled.
"Seventeen thousand?" asked Merlin. "we could almost buy our own ship for that"
"And who's gonna fly it? You?" asked Arthur.
"You bet I could" Merlin replied.
"What's the cargo?" asked Arthur, looking back at Gaius.
"Myself, the boy, two droids and no questions asked" Gaius replied.
"No questions huh?" Arthur asked, beside him Gwaine growled softly.
"Lets just say we want to avoid any… Imperial entanglements" Gaius said. Arthur took a breath then nodded.
"My ship is the Kilgharrah, docked in bay eight" he said, then looked over at the door. "and it seems like you've stirred up a hornet's nest" he added, indicating the Storm Troopers who were at the bar. The bar keeper pointing in their general direction.
"I think it's time we left" Gaius said quietly, rising, Merlin beside him. Arthur watched them leave then turned to Gwaine.
"They must really be desperate" he said with a grin. "Go get the ship warmed up, I have a feeling things are going to go sour here soon" he whispered. Gwaine stood and moved away. Arthur went to stand as well, sitting back down when he felt the barrel of a blaster in his back. Slowly the creature moved around to him.
"Ahh Pendragon, so pleased I was able to find you" the creature said. Arthur looked at him.
"Hello Helios" he said. "Been a long time"
"Too long for you. Agravane has put a price on your head so great that I can retire" Helios replied. Arthur took a deep breath.
"Why don't you go back to that bloated slime ball and tell him I have his money" Arthur said.
"If you have his money, then perhaps, if you were to… give it to me I might forget I saw you" Helios countered.
"I don't have it with me-"
"No ticks Pendragon, the bounty is dead or alive!" Helios shouted. Arthur sighed rolled his eyes, then there was a blaster shot and Helios fell face forwards dead, Arthur replacing his blaster. Slowly he stood and looked at Helios.
"well, I guess I did help you retire" he said, walking away and tossing the bar keeper a few more coins.
Outside, Gwen and Leon had re-joined Merlin and Gaius, and were quickly making their way towards the docking bays, aware that they were now being watched.
Beside the Kilgharrah, Arthur was just wiping some oil from it when he heard someone behind him. Slowly he turned, seeing Agravane the Hutt watching him.
"Listen Agravane, next time you want to see me you come in person, don't send your goons" he snapped.
"What am I to do? After all, I've let you get away with so much lately, even giving you time to get my money back after you dumped that load of spice" Agravane said.
"We were about to be boarded by the imperials" Arthur shot back. Agravane laughed.
"Indeed, and if I've heard that story once, I've heard it so many times. You were always my favourite smuggler Arthur, even if it is because I cherish the memory of your dear, sweet mother" Agravane replied. Arthur moved around him, treading on his tail, causing him to wince.
"One thing, between you and me old friend" Arthur said. "You can threaten me all you like, send whoever you want, but you do not mention my mother, are we clear?" Arthur demanded. Agravane snorted.
"And a warning to you, old friend the next time we meet you will have my money" he replied, then gesturing to his two guards, they moved away, past the old man, the boy and the two robots walking in.
"Bout time they got here" Arthur muttered.
"It's a pile of junk!" Merlin said looking at the ship.
"She can get you where your going and quickly" Arthur replied.
"Come on" Gaius said, going up the ramp.
"Hello" said Gwen moving past him. Arthur rolled his eyes, then looked over as Storm Troopers started running in.
"Gwaine get her started!" he called, as he bolted up the ramp, a small gun dropping from the bottom of the ship and blasting the Storm Troopers. The ramp closed, and the ship began to lift off. The storm troopers on the ground firing up uselessly as the Kilgharrah sped away into the atmosphere.