Chapter 2: Beta Decay
Chur'Seca, a blue skinned Twi'lek gazed over her copilot, a young blonde woman, who had her eyes closed and was already sleeping deeply. She turned to see out of the cockpit of her highly modified YT-2400 light freighter. Chur'Seca pulled down a lever and the ship entered hyperspace.
Her ship, the 'Beta Decay', was an older model than the 'Millennium Falcon' once was; smaller and perhaps slower, but not by much. Chur'Seca had upgraded the hyperdrive and many other parts of the ship. It was perfect for her and her line of business, with the many secret departments. After making sure the ship was on the right course and everything was fine, the young Twi'lek allowed herself a rest as well.
She should have been here by now. Perhaps something happened and I should go back to my ship? If she would come here and not find me, she would know where to look, right? Oh Siri, where are you?
Chur'Seca emptied her glass and set it back down on the bar, she stood up and sighed. She didn't want to leave yet and it had been a year since she last saw her best friend. However the Twi'lek was tired of the surrounding and all the male visitors trying to make a pass at her. She was sure that if Siri would show up as promised, she would easily figure out where else to find her.
Siri Nooram and Chur'Seca were both born in the lower levels of Kor Vella, a tourist city on Corellia. They were childhood friends, scavenging the streets of their home; before Siri was taken slave and later liberated and brought to Coruscant. Chur'Seca on other hand attained a position soldering computer parts for the large Corellian Engineers company. She showed potential in her field of work and quickly raised through the ranks; making the youngest pilot for the company.
"SECAAAAAAAAAA!", a loud female voice echoed in the landing bay, "GET YOUR SHIP READY FOR FLIGHT!"
Chur'Seca was perplexed as she saw her friend running towards the entrance hatch of her ship. In fact, she just stood their as Siri tackled her and both flew inside the ship. "Get up, get up! We need to leave now!", Siri was excited and clearly didn't wish to explain until they left. The young Twi'lek got up and brushed herself off on the way to the cockpit, she pressed on the button that started the engines and closed the hatch. It didn't take long and they were up in the air and left the atmosphere of Coruscant.
Siri found her seat as copilot next to Chur'Seca and couldn't stop giggling.
"Will you tell me what this is all about?"
"Well, we talked about running away together and today is that day", Siri grinned at her friend who was now clearly shocked. "I also stole a variety of Senate collective maps from the archives", her grin turned into something more impish, "They may have been after me..."
After regaining her thoughts, Chur'Seca didn't respond but got out of her piloting chair in a hurry and ran to a different part of her ship. She tore out the tracking device of the company's ship, smashed it with the butt of her blaster and got rid of it in the air lock. The Twi'lek ran back to the cockpit and grabbed her bag, she didn't pay any attention to Siri, who had followed her back and forth. From her bag she pulled out a small computer, which was able to talk to the ship's computer. She worked on changing the ship's signature output; it didn't take too long and when she finished she dropped back into her seat, with her eyes closed.
"Are you upset with me?", Siri carefully asked, being ignored since she had told her friend what she had done.
"No", Chur'Seca however was upset. Not because of going through with dreams they talked about in passed meetings, but for the simple reason that she didn't know about it before being rushed for take off, "I just freaked out and had to get rid of anything that could tie this ship to our old lives. So what now?"
"Now we start smuggling things for rich clients and collect bounties from criminals!"
Beep beep beep beep beep beep...
A blue light on the dashboard started blinking, the Twi'lek pressed it and the beeping stopped. She turned in her seat to face her copilot, who was sleeping. Her blonde companion slept most of the time when in space and often Chur'Seca felt alone on her ship.
Siri slowly opened her eyes. They widened quickly as she saw her friend's eyes piercing her's, "Have we arrived?"
"No", the Twi'lek responded and turned back to the depths of space. As the young woman wanted to ask why she was already awake, Chur'Seca cut her off, "We are exiting hyperspace and I know you hate the shaking."
"I am surprised this ship hasn't fallen apart by now and us blown into smithereens", the blonde woman complained. Chur'Seca smacked her companion's back head and corrected her that, "this ship is the best out there!"
The Twi'lek pushed a lever and the 'Beta Decay' slowly left hyperspace and in front of them was the planet of Coruscant. Both harbored hatred for the city and even though the reward of the bounty was large, they sighed unhappily and uneasily.
Four small patrol craft vessels flew towards the 'Beta Decay' and comlinked, "Coruscant System Partol, state your business and destination."
Chur'Seca grabbed the link and responded, "Here is Captain Chur'Seca. We are visiting the Great Western Sea, for our own pleasure."
After a few moments, the patrol greeted them to Coruscant and wished them a good time on their vacation. They landed on a platform near the sea and found a condo they would vacant while on the planet. The young Twi'lek had a few things to trade and restock the personal storage on the ship. She never asked Siri who the bounty was, she didn't like any form of killing. However she understood that her friend only took jobs that would lead to a criminal less, who would harm others, and the money made from the bounties came from legal sources.
"I won't make the trades until tomorrow, care to join me finding a restaurant by the sea?", Chur'Seca suggested and smiled innocently.
"That sounds like a great idea!", Siri responded, in her mind adding, before I chase my target around Coruscant...