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Chapter 4 – Escape from Aurizur

Kane was playing Pazaak with a Rodian in a local Casino. It was the tenth opponent he was facing and he had so far won 6000 credits. He still needed 500 more credits in order to pay Vasil and he was running out of time and luck.

"2!", Kane shouted as he placed his card to the ones he had already played. "In total, I have 19."

The Rodian laughed. "I have 15 and now I play this card."

Kane saw the number of the card; 5.

"It's 20!", the Rodian said. "I won. That means that you will have to pay me 500 credits."

'Damn! Now I have to win 1000 credits.', Kane thought. "How about we play another game? Let's bet 1000 credits this time."

But the Rodian was not going to risk losing 1000 credits. "Unfortunately my friend, I have to refuse. Now, if you will excuse me, I've got to leave. So please pay me the 500 credits."

Kane sighed and payed the Rodian. Jai, seeing this, laughed.

"It seems you are out of luck. Now, do you a plan B on how to pay Vasil?"

Kane smiled. "Well, I do not have another plan so let's hope someone else agrees to play Pazaak with me and that I can win. Otherwise, we will be stuck on this planet. And considering that the First Order is after us, this may not be a very pleasant situation. So pray that I win the next Pazaak match."

Before Jai could reply, a young woman entered the Casino and approached Kane. The woman seemed to be in her early twenties. She had a tanned face and thick eyebrows and was wearing a simple pale blue gown.

"Are you interested in playing a game of Pazaak with me?", the woman smilingly said.

"Yes.", Kane replied. "I say that we bet 1000 credits. Do you agree or do you want to bet less?"

"No. It is alright. I have lots of credits anyway."

'I can't believe my luck!', Kane thought. 'If I win this match, I will be able to pay Vasil and get off this planet.'

While Kane was playing Pazaak, Jai was waiting and drinking wine. "This place has the best quality wine I've ever drunk.", Jai noted. Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps. A young man entered the Casino. The man had thick eyebrows, large eyes, a sturdy and strong stature, and a complexion somewhere between dark and fair. Two vibroswords were hanging from his belt. The man stood silently and watched the match between Kane and the woman.

"1!", Kane said. He then placed down his card. "Along with the rest of my cards, I have 19."

"I've lost.", the woman admitted.

"If you can, pay me the 1000 credits now because I have a business to attend to and I am already late."

The woman smiled. "Of course."

With a swift movement, the woman flung tens of darts at Kane. Kane used the force to push them back but the woman moved with almost superhuman speed and dodged the darts. Seeing this, the man threw at the woman one of his vibroswords, which she caught on midair. At the same time the man drew his second vibrosword and charged at Jai.

"Why are you attacking us?", Kane asked.

The woman laughed. "I am 'Deadly Sword' and my husband is 'Swift Sword'. We are the famous 'Deadly Lovers' and we've been hired to kill you."

'Swift Sword' attempted to stab Jai but he quickly drew a vibrosword concealed in his cane and used it to block the attack.

"Impressive.", 'Swift Sword' admitted.

With his vibrosword held high, he struck out at Jai. Jai flinched and avoided the vibrosword. 'Swift Sword' pointed again his vibrosword at Jai and thrust it towards him. As the vibrosword sped forward, a loud sound was heard, revealing the strength behind the thrust. However, Jai didn't even move his feet. Jai's vibrosword flickered and stabbed the shoulder of 'Swift Sword'. Shouting in pain, 'Swift Sword' let his vibrosword fall on the ground.

"It seems you are not as swift as your name indicates.", Jai, laughing, said.

At the same time, 'Deadly Sword' was attacking Kane with her vibrosword. Kane made no move until the vibrosword was only one inch from his nose, then stretched out his hand and grabbed it by the hilt. 'Deadly Sword' let out a ragged breath.

"Now, will you pay me the 1000 credits?", Kane asked.

Before she could reply, a squad of Stormtroopers stormed the Casino and began firing at him. One of the blaster shots accidently killed the woman and Kane was barely able to ignite his lightsaber and use it to deflect enemy fire.

"Now what? Do you have another brilliant idea?", Jai shouted.

"Yes! Get out of here and head to Vasil's ship."

"But we don't have all the credits you promised him!", Jai protested.

"He is a friend. I am sure he will not mind being paid a thousand credits less."

With a waving of his hand, Kane force pushed the Stormtroopers.

"Run!", he said and he and Jai ran out of the Casino.


Thousands of bright stars and planets gleamed in the pitched black background of space. Suddenly, a Star Destroyer appeared. It was the 'Annihilator', Kylo Ren's flagship. The leader of the Knights of Ren was on the bridge of the ship when an officer approached him.

"My Lord.", the officer said and bowed slightly before him.

Kylo Ren turned around. "What is it?"

"We have reached Aurizur. Do you want me to prepare your shuttle for landing?"

"Yes. Inform me when it is ready."

"I will, my Lord!"

The officer left and Kylo Ren was left alone, thinking about Kane. 'My old friend, we will meet again after a long time.', Kylo Ren thought. 'Too bad that this will be our last meeting. You may be strong in the Force but with the dark side as my ally, I am now stronger than you.'


Kane and Jai rushed to Dock 76. There, they found Vasil and a Twi'lek waiting for them. Vasil, smiling, said, "This is Mr. Ya-"

"We are in a hurry!", Kane said. "Here are 6000 credits."

"But you promised me 7000!", Vasil protested.

"Stormtroopers are coming, so we do not have much time for arguing."

"You never told me about Stormtroopers!"

"Well, now I've told you."

Vasil gave the Twi'lek 5000 of the credits and then turned to Kane, "You always bring trouble to me. Get to the ship!"

When Kane saw Vasil's ship, he exclaimed, "What a piece of junk! Where is your 'Silver Snake' ship?"

"I sold it to repay an old Pazaak debt and I bought this one, 'Golden Eagle', an old Imperial shuttle. It's quite an old ship but I've made some special modifications myself."

'Golden Eagle' was a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle. It had three wings: one tall, dorsal stabilizer that remained stationary, and two lower wings that would extend during flight and fold upward for landing. The shuttle was mounted with two forward-facing double laser cannons. Vasil unlocked the outer hatch of 'Golden Eagle' and lowered the ramp. Kane, Jai and Vasil boarded the ship and it took off.


Kylo Ren was overlooking Aurizur from the bride of his flagship. He was waiting for the officer to report to him when he sensed a disturbance in the Force. 'He is somewhere near', Kylo Ren thought.

At that moment the officer arrived. "Sir, according to a report from the troops on the ground, Kane has escaped. This has not been confirmed yet and-"

"It's true!", Kylo Ren interrupted. "I can feel that he is near."

"My Lord, we've detected a shuttle leaving the planet!", another officer said.

"I am sure Kane is in it.", Kylo Ren replied. "Shoot it down."


Tens of Tie Fighters launched from the 'Annihilator' and headed towards the shuttle. Seeing them, Vasil summoned Kane to the cockpit.

"Hey, Kane, come here and fire with the turrets at the enemy!", Vasil said. "I want you to delay the Tie Fighters long enough for me to make the right calculations so we can jump to lightspeed."

Kane sat on the co-pilot's seat and held tight the turrets' controller.

"I have not fired turrets before.", Kane said. "I do not know if I succeed."

"Make sure you do or else this trip will be a really short one."

Kane began firing like a madman at the Tie Fighters. He was nervous and fired at them constantly. Although he managed to shoot down three Tie Fighters, another Tie Fighter managed to hit the 'Golden Eagle'. The ship shook and an alarm ringed.

"Shields down!", Vasil exclaimed. "I will try some dangerous maneuvers and attempt to escape. Let's hope this works because the ship is not going to last another hit."

The 'Golden Eagle' zig zagged between the Tie Fighters, barely dodging the fire from their turrets. When the shuttle had left behind the first wave of Tie Fighters, Vasil said, "Hold on". He then pulled a lever, pushed some buttons and the ship jumped to lightspeed.


"Sir, I am regretful to inform you that the shuttle has escaped.", the officer said to Kylo Ren, who was standing on the bridge of his flagship.

There was silence for a moment.

"You mean that one shuttle managed to escape a Star Destroyer and a whole squad of Tie Fighters?"

"Well, the pilot of that shuttle was an experienced one and his maneuvers were-"

Kylo Ren used the Force to pull up the officer and, before he could scream for mercy, force choked him.

"This is the price for failure. "


In the cockpit of the 'Golden Eagle' an alarm was ringing.

"What's happening?", Kane asked.

"It seems that the hyperdrive has been damaged by the enemy fire and so we are jumping out of hyperspace before reaching our destination."

"Where exactly?"

"Don't know. I belie-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the whole ship shook violently and it jumped out of hyperspace.

"What the hell was that?", Jai, who came to the cockpit, said.

"The ship is damaged.", Vasil replied. "We have to land somewhere to make repairs."

"Do you pick any planets?", Kane said.

"Well, there seems to be a moon nearby. I believe it is Yavin IV."

"We'll land there."