A/N: I'm sorry for this filler chapter. It was either this or uploading a very long chapter. Clearly I split them to make it easier to read instead of sitting for an absurdly long chapter. I also wanted to upload something to show you that I am not dead.
I'm sorry for taking so long.
The chapters updated are 10 and 11.
Fourth Week of Month Four, Prime day, 10 ABY.
2100 standard hours. Italica's Eastern Gate.
The battle between the demi-goddess and warrior monk left the forgotten bystanders shocked. Grey and his legionaries, the bandits, and the armed civilians watched the two fighters leap around the area as they fought. They were surprised by Luke's ability to evade all of Rory's attacks, and were left completely flabbergasted when Luke managed to freeze Rory in place.
Lost in their own amazement, they did not listen as Rory and Luke settled their differences, and only grew attentive once Luke confronted Grey. This reminded Grey of the bandits, and the battle-hardened knight quickly got to work.
He called for his legionaries to gather as much rope from the civilians who gladly complied, and soon enough the bandits were arrested. Their fear of Rory and Luke keeping most from acting out or attempting to run. There were only thirteen of them left, and they could do nothing to escape.
Luke stood idly as Grey ordered the bandits be put in a line. Their bondages were flimsy rope wrapped tightly. Honestly, if they tried they could escape, but seems the bandits knew when they were beaten. As Luke stood aside, standing as an intimidation factor (as odd as it felt), he felt Rory poke at his right arm. This was the first time she prodded at his arm after staring at it for several minutes.
"A hand of metal…fascinating." Luke's headset translated Rory's words. During the gathering of the bandits, Luke noticed how Rory kept glancing at him. He found it odd, especially since she did not say anything. Eventually, he realized she was glancing down at his metallic hand.
He assumed she tried to determine what his arm was on her own, but finally let her curiosity get the best of her.
"I thought it a gauntlet during our duel…but it truly is a hand of metal." Rory said with a captivated look, "Tell me, Sky Walker, is this some sort of enchantment?"
Luke turned to face her, lifting his hand as he did so. Rory stopped crouching once Luke held up his hand as opposed to letting it rest at his side.
"It is not an enchantment, but technology." Luke started.
Rory tilted her head, "Tecknauloji?"
Luke nodded as she spoke the foreign word, "I'm not sure how to explain in simple terms, but it is made of metal but acts nearly identical to a normal hand." To emphasize his words, Luke slowly lowered his sleeve and wiggled his fingers back and forth. The smooth movement was indistinguishable from normal flesh and seemed to fascinate Rory further.
"Like a wooden leg? No, far more intricate, but you say no enchantment? You must possess incredible strength to carry around so much iron with little effort." Rory complimented.
"Oh no, my strength has nothing to do with it. This arm was made with a special, light and durable alloy which allows for flexibility and does not put strain on its recipient. With this, I hardly notice it's a fake arm. Honestly, I've come to think of it as my real arm as opposed to a false one."
"Oh my, a metal which is both durable and nearly weightless. Mortar would ascend out of sheer joy if he acquired this metal. I'm sure even Duncan would commend its creator."
Luke could not keep up with all the names thrown at him, but he was amused by Rory's intrigue. It was refreshing to not see this (young?) girl face him down with a bloodthirsty look. It was then Luke was reminded of her weapon. A weapon which a lightsaber could not cut through.
"If you don't mind, Rory, I would like to know what your weapon is made of." Luke asked as he pointed to the halberd with his right arm. The extension of his finger distracted Rory for a moment before Luke's request reached her ears.
"Knowledge for knowledge. Very well." Rory said before holding the weapon before her.
"I won't pry if you wish to keep silent, but it is very rare for me to find something I could not cut. I was curious about the craftsmanship, and specifically wondered if it involved magic." Luke explained. His lightsaber being repelled was a shock for sure.
A lightsaber was known to cut through virtually anything; even the sturdiest durasteel eventually melts against the super-heated plasma. Luke figured there was more to it than metal alone, and he assumed it magic since this world's entire existence seems to revolve around the strange energy.
"Ah, yes. Your strange sword of light. I too was surprised that my weapon was stopped. You see this halberd is made from divine metal which is said to be smelted by the god of smithery, Duncan. It is nigh-impossible to forge with such magic infused ingots, but if done right, this is the result. A weapon which never dulls, breaks, and can cut through everything. Well, everything except your magic sword." Rory explained with a sense of fondness and pride. Odd considering this blade was probably used to kill thousands over the years Rory's lived.
Luke found the concept of divine metal intriguing. It seems where this world lacked in science and technological advancement (which was in nearly every aspect) it made up with magic in some way. He grew curious to see what other practical implements of magic the people of this world used.
Before he could ask any more about the "divine metal", his senses picked up a disturbance. He turned to face the line of restrained bandits. They were all fidgeting and visually nervous yet did nothing for fear of deadly repercussions. It seemed one of the bandits who stood only a few people behind the first in line came out of a daze.
With Grey ordering his legionaries to proceed with escorting the bandits away, this specific bandit grew visually fearful. Fear which made him act out.
"No…No! I won't be your slave!" The bandit begun trying to undo his wrist constraints. They were flimsy rope, but still tied well so the bandit struggled against them.
"Stay in line!" One of the legionaries shouted at the bandit before stepping up to keep the bandit from continuing his frantic display.
When the legionary stepped up to intimidate the bandit turned prisoner, he was met with a forehead to the face. The legionary reared his head back in pain.
The other guards brought their hands to their weapons, ready to cut down the ruffian, but Luke quickly stepped in before things got out of hand.
He slowly walked up to the bandit his hand raised, "Calm yourself friend…" The Jedi said in a quiet tone.
The bandit turned to face Luke, fear clearly written on his face, but suddenly his features slacked. The tenseness in the bandit's body lessoned.
Luke extended his finger before moving it as he spoke, "You do not want to cause trouble." Luke said.
The bandit's tense shoulders seemed to slump more. "I…I don't want to cause trouble." The prisoner repeated, his voice trailing slightly.
"You're scared, and that is understandable." Luke said as he closed the gap between he and the bandit. The injured legionary who held his bloody nose stepped back to let the Jedi stand in front of the prisoner.
"You will do as we ask, and you will not be harmed or enslaved." Luke said with another subtle finger movement.
The bandit nodded as if agreeing with Luke, "I will do as you asked, and I will not be harmed or enslaved."
Luke put on a smile, and placed his hand on the prisoner's shoulder, "Thank you for being cooperative. Now, just follow these men and I'll do all in my power to make sure you are treated fairly."
The bandit's stress and fear faded away and he nodded more times than needed, "I'll just follow these men." The prisoner joined the line once more.
Luke gave the prisoner a reassuring pat once more before turning to Grey, "Sir, I hope their treatment will be fair."
Grey nodded slowly, still trying to wrap his mind around what he witnessed, "I do not have the final say in that…it is up to Princess Piña."
Luke returned the nod, "Understood. I'll speak with her if given the chance, but for now, I assume you have somewhere to keep these men."
"The city prison has more than enough room. With this gate secure, we should return to the other." Grey suggested.
Luke nodded in agreement, "Right. I've forgotten to contact Gramps and Sakas. I'm sure they should be done if the silence is anything to go by."
Earlier in the night, Luke heard the distant echoing of blaster fire. The flashing red lights were visible even from here. A result of the lack of light pollution. The blaster fire soon stopped which made Luke assume the bandits were either killed or captured.
It was then he got an odd feeling coming from behind him. He glanced back to see Rory, giving him an inquisitive stare. Before he could ask what was wrong, his senses told him of his incoming allies.
Luke turned to the wall and watched as three speeders flew over the brick structure. Luke instantly recognized the riders, and a smile graced his features.
The speeders slowed and came to a stop in front of Luke. Everyone except Luke and Rory watched the newcomers cautiously.
"I am very relieved to see you safe, Shara Bey." Luke said as he stepped up to the sidecar Shara rode in.
Kes stepped off his speeder and walked around to help Shara stand. He felt the need to tell his wife to remain seated, but Kes was sure she would insist on standing.
Noticing her struggle to stand on her own, Luke raised a hand to stop the injured Shara, "You do not need to stand. I seem to have spoken too soon. Are you alright?" Luke asked.
Ignoring his suggestion, Shara pushed herself off the sidecar and stood with Kes' support, "It's just a scratch. My kidnappers caught me by surprise. It is good to see you again, Commander Skywalker, and I should apologize for this. I'm sure you have more important things to do than rescuing a retiree." Shara said in an apologetic way.
"Nonsense. I could not call myself your friend if I chose not to help you. Right now, all that matters is your safety and eventual recovery." Luke said.
"You know each other?" Rory cut in.
"So this is where you ran off to." Shara commented.
Luke looked between the two, "You've met?"
Shara and Rory nodded, "She dealt with two bandits before I could. Stood by my side since then and helped me walk when my leg kept me from doing so. Couldn't really ask why since we did not understand each other." Shara explained.
Luke nodded before facing Rory, who waited for a translation, "Shara says you helped her."
Rory merely gave a smile, "So Shara is her name. Yes, I helped her. She was rather tenacious even with such a wound. Would be rather heartless if I left her to fend for herself in a foreign land, even for someone like me." She spoke with a teasing smile. Most likely referring to Luke's initial judgement.
Luke stared at her for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh; emanating suffocating darkness yet not evil in the slightest. Truly paradoxical.
"Yes, that would be heartless. Thank you for helping her." Luke gave a nod as thanks which Rory accepted with a smile.
Hearing Luke's side of things, Shara extended a hand towards Rory, "Now that we have some semblance of communication, I'm Shara Bey, and thanks for sticking by my side. Oddly reassuring even if I hardly knew you."
Rory stared at Shara's hand with a confused expression before Luke translated.
"So, she wishes for me to compensate her?" Rory asked after Luke explained what Shara said.
Luke shook his head, "No. This is a type of greeting from where we are from. You grasp her hand and shake it to denote appreciation or agreement. In this case, she's showing her appreciation and introducing herself, to which you shake to show your acceptance and to introduce yourself in return."
Rory raised an eyebrow at the odd motion, but partook, nonetheless. She grasped Shara's hand and shook it a few times. It was an awkward handshake but conveyed the message.
"I'm Rory Mercury, apostle and priestess of Emroy. Your resolve to continue forward even with your worsening wound is admirable. There are few who would persist as you have." Rory said with her hand still grasping Shara's. She gave the wounded rebel a smile which Shara returned.
After Luke finished translating, Shara nodded in thanks before releasing Rory's hand, "I guess there are more important things to me than moping about in self-pity." Shara said as she looked at Kes who returned her loving gaze.
Rory did not need a translation to understand what Shara's gaze meant, and she stared at the two with a smile. Even with a smile adorning her features, Luke swore he saw, for the briefest of moments, a look of sadness on Rory's face. Like a fleeting thought, the sadness was gone, and Luke assumed it was never there in the first place.
687 IC (Imperial Calendar)
Two Hours Before Midnight, Formal Family Mansion, Italica.
Piña's head ached. Her fingers pressed against the bridge of her nose before they begun rubbing her temples. The image of a ring of fire followed by a deafening boom remained in her mind no matter how much she tried to replace it with other thoughts. The blur of red light and the horrid sound of metal plates and weapons hitting the floor so quickly was maddening.
She thought herself ready for her first campaign. This is all she ever wanted. What she basically begged her father for. For her knights to march into battle and show all citizens of the Empire that they were not mere decorations. Mere marauders were nothing to her knights. For a single knight, they'd need at least ten bandits. She was not being arrogant or boisterous, but truthful. Bozes alone could fight a group of at least a dozen with ease.
This was no campaign. This was not a clashing between two armies. A battle of knights. It was a slaughter. A slaughter conducted by no more than two people. A medusa and an old man. Two against a hundred, yet it felt as if those with a hundred were outnumbered. It was over so quick, she barely had time to process what happened. A defense which should take all night was over in no more than an hour. If two did that, she feared what an entire army could do. How fast could they take down a legion? How fast can they defeat the Empire?
"Princess."
Piña woke with a sudden jolt. She had fallen asleep amidst her thinking. She sat in her private quarters in the Formal mansion. It was a luxurious room, nothing comparable to her palace in the capital, but luxurious enough. She fell asleep sitting in one of the many sofas located within the room. A half-empty glass of water on the table in front of her.
Was she exhausted? She certainly felt that way.
Piña rubbed her eyes to clear the haziness. After she rubbed her eyes, she blinked a few times before looking at the person who called her. It was Hamilton, her page.
"Pardon the intrusion, Princess. I know you wished to be alone, but we've finished imprisoning the survivors." The frantic girl reported. Even after being friends for so long, Hamilton was still jittery.
Piña nodded as she remembered what happened after the bandits came in. As expected, those who persisted were killed effortlessly by the foreign powers. Anytime there would be a lull, the red flashes would stop, but the moment more bandits attempted to charge through the forming smoke cloud, they too would fall.
Eventually the bandits stopped coming, and everyone assumed them killed. What Piña did not expect was to see more emerge from the smoke. The difference being the white cloth they waved signaling their surrender…and the fact that they were mostly women. A few women of varying demi-human species dressed in light and dirty clothing stepped forth and surrendered. Piña was momentarily confused before realizing these women were most likely a part of the large bandit gang which invaded. From their attire and appearance, most were not fighters, and the majority likely sold their bodies to the bandits as a means of survival.
Piña assumed they waited among the large fields in case one of the bandits needed healing, but after seeing the bandits fall in large quantities, they chose to surrender to ensure their own survival. There were still a handful of bandits alive and laying battered on the ground. Their injuries ranging from minor to severe. The initial explosion gave them horrid burns which would surely get infected. Even the minor injuries would result in extreme illness.
From what Piña could see, the number of corpses and injured did not match the number of attackers. Meaning several slipped away in the chaos, leaving their allies behind. Disgraceful, the lot of them.
With the invasion finally over, Piña ordered Norma to capture all bandits who still lived, and to terminate those who were injured, fatally and otherwise. Best to get rid of them now since they would probably die before facing the executioner.
She did not expect orders to be met with resistance. Not from the Italican guards, but from the two otherworldly visitors. The pink medusa and wizened man shouted at any guard who aimed to kill an injured bandit. Their foreign tongues unknown to all, yet their intentions clear. The guards shouted back, but they were not understood. Instead they were faced with objection from both the medusa and old man.
They were protecting the injured. Why? She did not know, but when the medusa began pulling strange objects from the large satchel strapped to her back and kneeling next to the few that remained alive, Piña understood. Not only were they protecting the handful of remaining bandits, but they aimed to treat them as well.
Illogical, Piña thought. Nonsensical. The very few who managed to survive were horridly burned. Their injuries would kill them by first light. Yet they persisted, and her men looked to Piña for orders. Not wanting any trouble, she ordered the guards to merely stand by and wait for the foreigners to finish the treatment, as pointless as it was. The women who surrendered were to be arrested under Piña's orders until further notice.
With her orders given, Piña left for the manor, hoping to make sense of what she's witnessed. Eventually, she grew lost in thought and drifted off.
"Calm yourself, Hamilton. There is something else on your mind, what is it?" Piña asked.
Hamilton took a deep breath before continuing, "Grey has returned with prisoners as well, and he has something urgent to speak to you about."
Piña nodded before standing, "Alright. What of the medusa and old man?"
"They are in the guest lounge being watched by several guards. The knight, Skywalker, and Master Cato's apprentice are there as well along with others." Hamilton informed.
"Others?" Piña asked.
Hamilton nodded, "More of their allies…they seem to have found the woman whom they searched for."
"Already?" Piña did not know why she was shocked. These people have done the impossible already, so why was such a thing so shocking to her she wondered.
"Yes…there is also another…the Reaper," Hamilton said.
Piña froze at this. Why would the priestess be here? Had she allied herself with these newcomers? There was no point in thinking over issues she had yet to understand. She quickly told Hamilton to lead her to Grey. If the seasoned knight thought it urgent than it must be something grand.
Hamilton led Piña to one of the many private lounges found toward the top of the manor. This one belonged to the count and his family, so for Grey to meet here must mean he has something of great importance that only the most important should listen to.
The moment she walked in, the sight of Grey's serious expression filled her with worry. Such an expression was rare among the warrior. Although he often kept an exterior befitting someone of his skill, Grey had a humorous side to him not many knew of. Being under his care for so long, Piña came to see this aspect of his personality daily. To the point where seeing him act so serious was odd.
"Princess, I have much to report on what happened at the eastern gate." Grey stated.
Piña nodded as she went to sit on an elegant sofa facing another. Grey sat opposite of Piña and Hamilton.
A second later one of the doors to the room opened, and in walked the countess. With one glance alone, Piña could see fatigue on the young girl's features. To be burdened with such a responsibility at such a young age must be exhausting.
"It is good to see you are safe, Your Highness. I've heard of what happened. Thank you for protecting Italica." Myui said after sitting on a single person sofa at the end of the small table.
"I do not think I can take any credit for doing so. These newcomers were the ones who defeated the bandits. I merely stood and watched," Piña said.
Myui was not sure how to respond to Piña's defeated answer, but Grey alleviated her of the need.
"The same can be said of the eastern gate. My men and I arrived to corpses and discouraged bandits. We too did nothing but watch as the Priestess of Emroy and Sir Skywalker dealt with the bandits," Grey said.
"Is that what you wished to speak of? The reaper?" Piña asked.
"Partly…there is also Sir Skywalker. I saw him use that strange hilt with the blade of light to fend off the Reaper's attacks." Grey said.
"Are you saying he fought an apostle and lived?" Piña asked with disbelief. Hamilton eyed Grey as if the knight had grown a second head.
"No…I'm saying he fought her and won. Seems because of this, she's taken a liking to him. Additionally, I heard what the other two did, and any doubt that these people killed a dragon has withered away. Whoever these outsiders are…I fear we have stumbled upon something we can never hope to understand." Grey said grimly.
Piña leaned back, and slumped against the sofa's back, "Who is this man…this knight…to command such warriors and to wield power that rivals Rory the Reaper? What hope do we have against them? Forgive me, Countess, but I fear not even the Imperial army can help should they wish to conquer Italica."
"As much as I am grateful for your concern…I do not believe they will do such a thing. I was told of what the two at the western gate did. Healing injured bandits even when you ordered against it. I may be arrogant to the realities of the world…but I believe it takes a great amount of compassion to treat an enemy as you would an ally." Myui stated.
"The same happened at the eastern gate. It was the reason why the reaper fought Sir Skywalker…he stopped her from killing all the bandits. He claimed they were no longer a threat, and insisted they be spared. Even going so far as claiming he would ask you personally to treat them fairly." Grey explained.
"The more I learn of these people, the more I grow confused. They kill four-hundred to save one yet put unnecessary effort into saving bandits." Piña held her head in frustration.
"That is the root of the problem…four hundred dead will not go unnoticed. These people may not want conflict, but the Emperor and Senate will not be so forgiving. There will surely be a call for war." Grey said.
"That…that cannot happen. I must speak with father…with the senate. I must tell them what happened here…but until then we must insure they do not perceive us as an enemy. Hopefully their friendship with Count Formal will help." Piña stood, prompting the others to do the same.
"We must tread with caution. The Empire's future could depend on our actions." Grey said as he stood.
Piña looked away from him, her mind whirling with the severity of the situation. She gave her head a small shake and placed her hand on her chest. She felt her heart pounding ferociously.
"By the gods…I am terrified." Piña thought to herself. Never had she felt such thumping in her chest. What she was afraid of was up for debate. Although these people and their weaponry were something to fear, Piña felt as though she feared the unknown more than anything else. All she ever knew of the world was rendered null in less than a day.
Releasing a few breaths to calm herself, Piña turned to the others who waited for her call, "Well…no need to delay any longer."
Fourth Week of Month Four, Prime day, 10 ABY.
2300 standard hours. Italica's Eastern Gate.
Luke walked through the same corridor from earlier in the day. The difference now was the lack of chains and Pathfinders. When the guards came in and asked for their presence once more, Luke insisted he go alone. This was for two reasons; Shara's injury and what Gramps and Sakas told him. They purposefully opposed Piña's men, so it would not do them well if Piña held a grudge.
Piña did not seem like the person to do so, but he could be wrong; the pride of royalty is said to be unwavering. The hierarchy of this world seems to be the royal family on top, and everyone else below. If Piña sought to execute someone, then there would be nothing standing in her way.
"Anxious, are you?" Rory's sly smile filled Luke's peripheral. He kept his eyes on the back of the guard leading him and Rory.
"Not anxious…uncertain." Lelei's voice came from Luke's right.
Luke glanced toward the young, force-sensitive girl. He was not sure if Lelei realized she was sensing the emotions Luke gave off. From her usual calmness, he assumed she did not. He needed to speak to her about her force-sensitivity, and whether this was something usual for her. Master Qui-Gon put the idea in Luke's head that the Force is not completely new to this universe as originally thought.
The possibility of force-sensitive beings existing in this world brought hope to Luke's heart. There was no doubt his galaxy held an indefinite amount of force-sensitive beings, but the galaxy was infinite compared to a single planet. Luke threw around the title of Jedi but has yet to do anything to benefit the galaxy. Six years after the Galactic Concordance, all he's done is travel to different planets with Lor San Tekka, seeking any remaining Jedi relics hidden by the Emperor. He focused on studying the Jedi philosophy and teachings and admittingly arguing with his masters over certain teachings (to which his Father agreed.) He aimed to rebuild the order, but what then? The order was prominent in the galaxy before its fall, but Luke was not sure if he could recreate said prominence. He was just a farm boy from Tatooine trying to do his best.
Not to mention the galaxy is still healing after the years of propaganda and slander against the Jedi name. They were not perfect, far from it, but the Emperor painted the Jedi as an order of greedy cultists as opposed to an order of moral monks. From a certain point of view indeed.
Too deep in thought, Luke missed most of the walk to the throne room, and only realized when Rory nudged his shoulder. Silently nodding thanks to the apostle, Luke focused on the thrones as he entered the room. Piña and the countess were seated in the same positions as before. Luke walked into the room followed by Rory and Lelei. Guards walked at their sides, but neither Luke, Rory, nor Lelei were in restraints.
Luke walked in respectfully and cautiously. Making sure not to do anything seemingly offensive. Lelei was neutral as usual which contrasted greatly with Rory who walked in with a sly smile and confident strutting.
Placed in front of the throne, Luke bowed his head to both the countess and Piña, "Countess Formal. Princess Piña. Thank you for allowing us to meet once more. Given how late it is, this must be a tiring affair. My sympathies most likely mean nothing, but I apologize for playing a part in this inconvenience."
"Your humility, while appreciated, is superfluous." Piña replied.
Luke was taken back by the snap. Although said in a calm voice, Luke did not miss the seriousness.
Luke glanced around the room, and could see Grey and Hamilton standing diligent, but showing the smallest sign of shock on their features. Seems Piña's demanding tone was a means to hide the fear Luke sensed within her.
Piña was a master at hiding her emotions from what Luke could see, but even Piña's skill could not hide from Luke's Force attuned senses. She was scared. Borderline terrified. Something which made Luke feel guilty.
"Right…I'm sorry. You wish to know of tonight's events." Luke stated the obvious.
"I know what happened tonight. I've received reports. What we wish to know is what your plans are. We were interrupted earlier today, and never received an answer as to what you want for Count Formal." Piña pressed.
"Right…well there is a misunderstanding. As I wanted to explain earlier today, we do not have any ulterior motives in keeping the counts and their men. There are two reasons why we still hold them. We kept them because your empire kidnapped our ally, and if we had failed in saving her before she reached the capital, we hoped to use Count Formal, Missna, and Roen for negotiations. Since we rescued Shara, that reason is no longer relevant. The second reason is simpler; we have no means to transfer over a hundred men easily. We are currently in the process of finding a means, but as of this moment we have no way to do it efficiently." Luke finished.
Silence fell over the room for a few moments before Piña continued, "That is it?"
Luke raised a brow before nodding once, "That is it."
Piña's glance to her confidants didn't go unnoticed. The look she shared between Grey and Hamilton made it evident they did not believe him. He hoped gaining their trust would be easier, but he was often described as an optimist.
"Sir Skywalker…" Countess Formal broke the awkward silence.
"Yes, Your Excellency?"
"I'm sure you understand why mutual trust is difficult, but I've thought of a way to maybe remedy this distrust. The letter you gave us was written by my father, there is no doubt, but in what condition is still unknown." Myui let her words settle.
Luke nodded, catching onto what Myui was suggesting, "You wish to speak to your father."
Myui nodded, "That strange…object on your wrist. You claimed it allows you to speak with people who are not in the same room. I will not pretend to understand your foreign magics, but if it does what you say, then we should be able to speak with my father."
Luke gave her a smile, "You are not wrong. Normally, we would be able to speak with your father, but there is the issue of the tunnel. Since coming to this side, we've attempted to form a stable connection between this side of the tunnel and the other side. I will not go into the specifics of our technologies, but for this device to work, there must be a stable connection within the area it is used."
Luke tried to explain as simply as he could, but he noticed the signs of confusion seep into their expressions.
"This teck-no-lojies, is it possible to form a stable connection?" Piña asked, letting her curiosity show.
Luke gave her a small nod, "Yes…well, we've already established a connection between the camp at Alnus which is directly outside the tunnel, and our camp on the other side. If we were to speak with Count Formal, who currently resides on the other side, from here, the connection must be expanded. Something we can do if given permission."
Piña shared a glance with Myui, and the silent understanding between them seemed to be enough.
"And with this, you are sure we are able to speak to my father." Myui asked once more.
Luke gave her a small nod, "Logically, yes. In fact, with this we will be able to speak with him face to face."
They gave him the oddest looks which Luke expected. Radio technology was already a completely new concept to these people, but holographic technology was probably beyond incomprehensible. Count Formal took it in stride, but he was not speaking via hologram, but merely viewing a holographic still.
"I'm confused. I thought only voices are conveyed." Piña said.
"And you are right. The object on my wrist can only communicate with voices, but we have another object which allows for instant, visual communication. Meaning we can speak with someone while looking at them even if they are far away."
"That's…well that is impossible is what I would like to say, but you've proven impossibilities are nothing against your strange magics." Piña replied with an almost exasperated sigh.
"I can show you if you'd like." Luke offered.
Their silence was all the confirmation he needed. He removed his holoprojector from his belt and held in in his hand. Luke noticed Rory's curiosity as she leaned forward, her eyes on the strange circular device resting in Luke's palm.
Luke pressed the call button on the holoprojector and a small beeping resonated. They stood silently, with nothing but the beep. Luke could feel all eyes on him and felt awkward given the attention.
After a few seconds, the beeping stopped, and the projector came to life. The familiar monochromic, blue hue of the hologram extended up around fifteen centimeters from Luke's hand.
Luke watched Rory lean back slightly at the new sight, and Lelei seemed to lean closer. Everyone else in the room watched with fascination at the hologram, and Luke saw Piña leaning forward in her throne as if trying to see through some sort of illusion.
"Luke? Is there a reason you called me via hologram instead of comlink? I doubt it was to gaze upon my handsome face." Shiv's sarcastic drawl answered as he looked at the Jedi.
"The strange goblin speaks. In all my years, never have I seen something so…odd yet fascinating." Rory face was nearly touching Shiv's hologram, and her curiosity forced her to pass a finger through the blue image.
"Uhh…who's the girl?" Shriv asked.
"A story for another time, Shriv. The reason I'm using a hologram is to show the inhabitants of this world that such communication is possible. I'm currently in Count Formal's throne room, speaking with his daughter, and she's asked to speak with her father to insure he is safe. What better way to show her than face to face?" Luke explained.
"So, do you want us to bring him out here? You know our communications won't reach that far. They barely reach this side of the tunnel." Shriv said.
"That is why I want you to send someone with a spare communications array. We'll set it up here thus allowing us to contact the other side of the tunnel." Luke said.
"And this will help us find Shara, how?" Shriv asked.
"About that, we already found her. She's a little wounded, but safe." Luke clarified.
"Okay…then given where you are, I assume you're currently negotiating." Shriv deduced.
"Something like that. Just send someone over with the array, and I'll explain later." Luke said.
Shriv released a sigh, "Whatever you say. If Shara's fine, then that is good enough for me. Someone will be over in a few minutes. Be sure to send us your location. Shriv out."
The hologram flickered away, and Rory wore a smile, "What other surprises do you hold, Luke the Sky Walker?"
Luke was not sure how to answer that, but Piña's voice kept him from doing so.
"Who was that strange…goblin? Were you really speaking to them or was it merely an illusion?" The princess asked.
Luke nearly chuckled when she referred to Shriv as a goblin but subsided it, "It was no illusion. That man was Shriv Suurgav, the commanding officer at the camp we've set up outside the tunnel. He is sending someone with the means to extend the connection, so we may speak with Count Formal. It should be here in a matter of minutes."
"But Alnus Hill is far away. Even a messenger would take at least a day to travel that distance, and that is only if they travelled through the night." Piña said in disbelief.
Luke paused for a moment. He would have to get better at explaining the advanced technologies given how frequent these types of questions were.
"For you…yes, but we have means of crossing great distances in shorter periods. What takes you two days will take us no more than half an hour." Luke was not sure how to explain the complexity of spacecrafts or whether he should. He doubted these people could comprehend even the basics of vehicle flight.
"Your answers merely yield more questions, but I feel further inquiry would increase confusion between us. There is no hiding our ignorance when it comes to your powers and magics, but your confidence seems to radiate truth. I feel it best to save my breath than express my shock. If you say they'll be here within minutes than I feel it responsible to trust you." Piña said.
Luke gave a bow, "Thank you."
687 IC (Imperial Calendar)
An Hour Before Midnight, Somewhere on Yavin 4.
Parna stared at the beautiful, foreign sky. She always liked staring at the stars, ever since she was a young girl in her village. The tiny stars which littered the darkness gave her hope. The foolish, childish hope. Hope which told her that even in endless, pitch darkness, there were still signs of light. Signs of beauty.
Foolish indeed. The last three years showed her the truth of the world. There was no beauty. No light. Just darkness within the souls of men or women; whether they be man or warrior bunny. Tyuule's betrayal was evident of that.
Yet, after a year of being treated like nothing more than an object meant to please and truly facing darkness, she let hope creep into her being.
These beings of another world. This man named Luke Skywalker. They arrived and freed her from her darkness. She almost laughed.
When did she become so…emotional? Since the war between her people and the Empire, she knew nothing but anger and misery. Anger at Imperials, at the treacherous queen, at the whole world, and misery due to her people's defeat, her own helplessness and her eventual enslavement.
Yet here she was, sprawled lazily and peacefully, across the branch of a large tree on a different world, staring at a different array of stars and the gigantic, orange moon. No…not moon, the golden golem corrected her when she first arrived.
A "planet" as the golem, SeaTreePeeOh, explained. The moon was the current world she stood on. Hence the name, "Yavin Four", meaning the fourth moon of Yavin. At least that is what the golem told her. It did not help that his dialect was rather pompous which reminded her of the dialect used by the nobles who abused her.
When she first arrived in this world, this planet, she was blown away by the strange sights that greeted her. Directly outside the gate was a large meadow surrounded by a thick, seemingly endless forest. Some trees were small, others large. Some with skinny trunks, others with the biggest trunks she'd ever seen.
The vastness of the forest reminded Parna of her childhood. When she would run in the forest surrounding her village. Yet these trees were unlike any trees she'd ever seen. They were distinct in both size and color. Some of the trunks were a violet color which she thought fascinating if a bit odd.
Following the sight of the meadow and forest, the strange vessels and armaments were even more shocking. Surrounding the gate were dozens of beings of differing shapes and sizes. Some were human, or seemed that way, while others had a variety of skin colors and strange features. The strangest was probably the large, mouse-like creature which greeted the golem.
According to SeaTreePeeOh, the mouse-like creature was named "Knee In Nubb". A strange name, but there were far stranger things to linger on. For one, the large arrow shaped vessel which she was led to. It was a mix of greys and blacks and impossibly large. Probably several times larger than the Empire's biggest ships.
When she asked the golem, who was her self-proclaimed guide, what the vessel was, he begun explaining without pause. He spewed several words she could never hope to understand. Even if he spoke the same language, the terms he used were completely foreign. Yet there was two words she understood.
Star and ship. Amidst the flurry of words, those were two she understood. She knew what stars were. The ever-present lights in the sky. She knew what ships were, the large wooden vessels manned by several dozen sailors to make it traverse the vast oceans. Yet why was this large, metal, arrow shaped vessel called a star ship.
She could confidently say that the golem's answer left her frozen. The metal ship did not sail across the vast oceans, but across the vast skies. The vessel, as TreePeeOh told her, was a starship, named as such because it sailed across the stars.
The golden golem did not seem to notice her frozen state as he happily explained the impossibility of star sailing. His casual tone did not help in easing her shock. Apparently, starships were a common thing with these people.
When she asked him (she's assuming the golem was male) if "star ships" were common, the golem's emotionless expression seemed to stare at her as if questioning her sanity.
"Of course. They are the only means of travelling from planet to planet." He answered. From there she would question the meaning of "planets" to which the golem happily answered. Again, she was left lost by the complexity of his words but understood enough.
"Planets" seemed to be synonymous with "worlds" to these people. Instead of a "world" being a different realm as she understood it, a "world" was merely another "planet" which existed in between each other and floated in the ocean-like "space." According to the golem, stars were merely "celestial bodies" which existed in the vast "space" beyond the skies. As such their vessels did not sail across them as she thought, but between them.
Basically, these people not only had a means to traverse the skies like a dragon, but to travel beyond the clouds and enter the realm of gods. A realm she knew as "heaven" or "the holy land of gods"; a place they called "outer space." It is within this realm of "outer space" that the moon and sun reside as opposed to merely floating in the sky. Parna then asked of the large moon which hung in the sky. The golem was quick to correct her before explaining the history behind this "planet" called Yavin 4.
She wanted to call the golem a liar. To tell him how impossible it was for his words to be true. Yet something within her told her his words could be nothing but the truth. Somehow, she was willing to believe the madness the golem spouted.
Eventually, they led her to a physician, another metal golem who gave his (its?) name as TwoOneBee. Through means unknown to her, the golem determined she was ill, specifically her reproductive region was said to be heavily damaged and infected.
She was sure her expression turned grim when they told her this. She never expected to live long. Especially after willingly becoming a slave. Yet some part of her hoped to live longer than three years after the war. Maybe take revenge on the Empire and the disgraced Tyuule. In a way it was that anger and determination which kept her going. Seemed anger alone was not enough to keep her alive.
Yet, as she came to terms with her inevitable death, the two golems spoke of treatment. She doubted any elixir they conjured would prevent death, but they seemed to speak as if her ailment was nothing fatal.
They claimed by sticking her into a strange glass barrel, her illness would be cured. She scoffed at them, but they were persistent. Deciding she had literally nothing to lose, she went along with their charade and disrobed before stepping inside the large glass barrel.
Skeptically, she watched as the physician golem tightened a leather harness around her torso and placed a muzzle-looking thing around her mouth and nose. The muzzle wrapped tightly around her mouth and nose, to the point she feared she might have difficulty breathing.
Her fears lasted only a short moment before she grew light headed and lost consciousness. When she awoke, she felt odd. It took her a moment to realize she was still in the glass barrel, except she was now soaked. Additionally, she felt…alive. Any aches she felt prior to her unconsciousness, were completely gone, and she was filled with energy. Her body was like when she fought in the war. Primed to fight as all Warrior Bunnies are.
She wondered how, and the golden golem answered. Apparently, she slept throughout the night, and awoke midday. The glass barrel they placed her in was flooded with an elixir they called "bacta", hence her drenched state. Whatever magic held within the elixir was enough to cure her illness and seal her wounds. Once more she was baffled. She would assume they were lying if not for how she felt. Rejuvenated to the point she felt like taking down the Imperial army herself.
After they provided clothing in the form of a white and strangely comfortable tunic called a "tea-shirt" (why have a specific tunic for drinking tea, she was not sure) and baggy yet fitting trousers, she was given a room and allowed to roam the vessel and surrounding camp. Given her energetic state and feeling alive after so long, she quickly found her way outside the large vessel, and sprinted into the thick forest.
For the rest of the day, she explored the flora covered land. Allowing herself to roam freely. Taking in the sights, smells, and sounds. Using all the speed her warrior body allowed, she climbed trees, traversed large fields, and even hunted some of the local wildlife. For once in a long time, she felt at peace. She felt free. She felt like she was at home.
Yet like all things, her energy eventually begun to wane as the sun slid further down. The dark was not a concern since her eyes allowed for clear sight even in the dark, but she still felt the need to rest. Eventually finding herself atop a tree, she laid down and merely enjoyed the stars.
As she rested, her mind wandered. Thinking back to her time as a child, her time in war, her time in enslavement, her rescue, and eventually the past day. Yet as she thought more of the wild things she'd seen since her arrival, she grew pensive.
These beings…were too powerful. If what the golem said was true, they could even rival the gods in power. Parna herself was not a pious person. None of the Warrior Bunny tribes were, but they knew of the gods and their apostles. Knew what it meant to anger them.
Yet, instead of fearing these powers, she found herself thinking of the Empire. The Empire was the most powerful force in her world. Nothing but the gods could stop the force that was the Empire. In every mean, the Empire was like a boot, and the rest of her world were insects. That is until now.
Luke Skywalker and his army seem to be righteous or at least have righteous intentions. With them, she could finally enact her revenge. With them, the Empire would become the insect. Luke Skywalker wanted to help her people…what better way than to destroy the very Empire which enslaved them? They have more than enough motive after the Empire invaded, so all they needed was a little push.
As Parna stared at the night sky, her mind filled with the Empire's demise, a sound reached her ear. Different from the cacophonous sounds of the forest.
"Miss Parna! Miss Parna!"
Parna released a sigh. Her remaining ear twitched at the sound. At her name.
"For a golem, that thing is rather annoying." She murmured to herself.
She pushed herself off the large branch and stood with her eyes closed. Even with one ear, her hearing was still several times stronger than a normal man.
"Miss Parna! Oh my, where has she gone?"
Her ear twitched once more, this time towards the direction of the golden golem's voice. With the golem's direction determined, she opened her eyes, and leapt off the large branch. She softly landed on another, thinner branch far below before leaping across trees. The shuffling of the branches and leaves forcing any native life awake and sprawling away.
The years of training and hunting flooded Parna's subconsciousness. Her body leapt from branch to branch, tree to tree, and easily flew across the dense forest.
"Miss Parna!"
Her ear twitched toward the direction of the voice once more. As she leapt off a tree, her feet touched down on an adjacent branch, and with a rippling of muscles, she used her powerful legs to push herself off the flimsy branch. The resonated crack and splintering of wood reflecting the force.
Parna flew above the ground for a few moments before using more trees to launch herself.
Eventually, Parna caught sight of something bright amidst the darkness. One final leap and she gently landed on a thicker branch. She looked onto the illuminated ground below.
Standing amidst the dense forest, vines, and shrubbery was the golden golem. In his hands was a strange metal rod which shot out a ray of light.
When she landed, the branch shook, and several leaves fell causing the golem to jolt toward her direction.
"Miss Parna! Thank goodness you are safe. If something were to happen to you…my circuits shudder at the thought."
Parna landed on the ground in front of the frightened golem, "Get that light out of my face." She said as the blinding light was shined at her.
"Oh, my apologies." Threepio lowered the light, "Miss Parna, you must be more careful. Yavin 4 is largely unexplored and unsettled. There is no knowing of the ferocious beasts which may linger in the shadows." The golem chastised softly.
Parna waved him off, "Back home, my people hunted beasts as a rite of passage. I've met the beasts of this world, and they were not all that frightening." Parna was not boasting. Within reason, the Warrior Bunnies could take down any foe. Yet the disastrous war three years prior showed them that numbers will best skill.
"I do not doubt your words, but as skilled as you may be, there is nothing wrong with caution. Not to mention you have only just recovered from a year of malnourishment and mistreatment. I recommend you rest for at least a full day." The golem stated.
Parna eyed the golden construct for a second before sighing. He was not entirely wrong, and the energy she felt earlier in the day was beginning to fade. She now realized her muscles ached and would most likely be horridly sore by first light. Probably due to her lack of training in the year she remained in slavery. Her body was in dire need of conditioning.
"Fine…I've grown hungry." She said as she walked passed the droid.
Without another word, Parna heard the golden golem followed behind her.
687 IC (Imperial Calendar)
A few Minutes After Midnight, The Corvus, Yavin 4.
Parna eyed the doors cautiously as they slid open on their own. She was still not used to the self-opening doors present on the large vessel. Especially the one belonging to the "turbolift" as the golem called it.
"Right. Miss Parna welcome to the bridge of the Corvus. It is here where the ship is piloted." TreePeeOh informed her as they stepped out of the cramped lift.
From what she saw, the room parted into two paths from where she entered. The left and right were closed off by walls, and there did not seem to be any other way out. This did not stop the golem as he continued toward the left.
Parna walked close behind and as her guide stepped closer to the left wall, it parted diagonally, opening into a bigger room. Strange lights adorned the walls and as they turned the corner, they were met with two others.
They were separated by a strange table standing at the center of the room. When Parna glanced to her left she saw another path leading to a large room with windows. Beyond the windows she saw the forest.
"Threepio, hope I didn't interrupt anything." A strange goblin addressed the golem in a language Parna did not know.
She vaguely remembered seeing this goblin when she first arrived at the gate but had yet to learn its name.
"Not at all, Officer Suurgav. Miss Parna was just finishing her meal in the mess hall when you called me. That reminds me, Officer Suurgav, this is Miss Parna." Threepio motioned from the officer to Parna.
He then turned to the Warrior Bunny, "Miss Parna, this is Officer Shriv Suurgav and Count Colt Formal."
Parna's eyes narrowed as they landed on the older man standing on the other side of the circular table. It seemed she was not the only one to realize they came from the same world.
"I've seen you before…one of the slaves." Count Formal said as he realized he was staring at one of the enslaved women from the Alnus camp.
"What is he doing here? I thought he was a prisoner." Parna asked the golden golem beside her. She knew of the failed expedition, those who returned released their frustration on her and the rest of the slaves. Therefore, she knew that Count Formal was either killed or captured.
"Master Luke is in the process of negotiating with Count Formal's family. They've asked to communicate with him to prove his wellbeing." Threepio explained.
"Why negotiate for someone who invades your land? You waste resources in keeping this swine alive. Do you know what they would do if they succeeded?" Parna was on the verge of yelling. The fact that an Imperial count was being treated fairly and given medical treatment infuriated Parna. Not that she had any say to whom these strangers provided aid, but she could not stay quiet after enduring the horrors of Imperial captivity.
In her mind, the count in front of her and all his men should be executed or worked to death. Much like how the Empire treats any captives, not only non-humans.
"Um…well…" Even with his ever-stoic face, Threepio sounded confused and unsure of how to respond.
"No need to explain yourself…her anger is justified. I doubt any words I offer would do much in easing her distrust." Count Formal said.
Parna scoffed, "Not so mighty without your armies. Without your walls protecting you. How does it feel to know your empire is not the most powerful force anymore?"
Her words were not aimed at Count Formal specifically. She never heard of the man until the expedition and even then, it was not like he partook as some of the others had. Her words reflected her thoughts on the empire, and unfortunately the count was the only representative of the empire in the vicinity.
"I don't need to understand what they say to know there is some tension between them. I'd prefer if we did not break out in a fight during this, so get her out of here Threepio." Shriv said to the droid.
Before Threepio could reply, a beeping resonating through the room. Parna tensed at the noise, but with no sign of danger she relaxed. She saw the blue-skinned goblin sigh before mumbling something she did not understand.
He then proceeded by pressing the strange lights attached to the side of the table. Parna watched as the table came to life, but nothing else.
"Uh…well the connection works, but you actually need to stand in front of the sensor to be seen." Shriv said sarcastically.
A few moments later, Parna watched as a blue visage appeared on the table. It was like when she was rescued, except it was not the golden golem, but the person who saved her. His image stood at the center of the table but only from the waist up
"Good, it works. We can now proceed." Luke's image said before he motioned for someone to join him.
687 IC (Imperial Calendar)
Thirty Minutes Before Midnight, Entrance of the Formal Mansion, Italica.
The night air was cool, and a small breeze picked up. Piña kept her arms close to her body to warm herself. Her eyes looked ahead, specifically at the bottom of the large steps leading into the manor.
At the bottom of the steps, standing on the dirt path which led directly to the manor entrance, were Luke, Lelei, and the Reaper. They spoke to each other; nothing important from what she heard, just nonsensical conversation to pass the time. The Reaper would ask a question and Luke would attempt to answer it.
Remembering back to their earlier conversation, some part of Piña was almost insulted. She, a princess taught by the best scholars in the Empire, was spoken to as if she was a mere child. Luke claimed it was due to his inability to explain, but she knew better. She knew whatever intelligence he held would be lost to her. The complexity of their superior magics were far beyond anything she could understand.
"They are here." She heard the monotonic voice come from Luke's wrist. Her daze ended, and she refocused on what was happening.
She noticed how Luke looked up at the sky, so followed his gaze as did the others who stood by her side.
At first, she saw nothing, and was confused. The area was lit by guards holding torches, and braziers which were placed when they moved outside, so anything beyond the fire's illumination was shrouded in darkness.
For a moment longer, she stared at the night sky, and then her eye caught something. It was large, and oddly shaped. She then heard a strange sound which was like howling winds, yet not as intense.
From her angle, she saw a large metal…spike…thing, floating in the night sky. Its pointed edge faced the manor and the cross guard-like bottom faced away. As she observed the object, entranced much like everyone else, it grew.
She realized it was lowering onto the large field situated next to the dirt path. As it descended more and more, she was taken back by its size. It was massive. Maybe as tall as an orc from tip to cross guard.
"Ah…the metal bird." She heard Lelei say nonchalantly. Piña's gaze darted from the strange floating pike to the girl before darting back to the object.
This was the metal bird?! The one which Lelei claimed killed the flame dragon? Piña eyed the strange iron…thing as it finally landed on the grass.
"That…that's the thing that killed the flame dragon?" Grey, who stood to her side, asked.
Before Piña could say anything, Luke answered, "Yes…though there were four of them at the time." He said before walking toward the metal beast.
"Wait…Sir Skywalker. Are you saying you've tamed that beast?" Piña asked as she remained.
Luke stopped walking and turned back with a befuddled expression, "Um…well it is not a beast per say. It's more of a…means of transport. A sort of ship."
Piña noticed how Luke struggled to explain, but even with the few words, Piña was lost. A ship? Like the vessels which traversed the vast seas?
Piña held her head, "A ship which sails across the skies?" She said in disbelief, not noticing how the "metal bird" opened to reveal someone inside.
Fourth Week of Month Four, Prime day, 10 ABY.
2330 standard hours. Formal Family Manor.
The X-wing's cockpit opened with a familiar hiss.
Luke turned from the Princess to face the newcomer. Luckily, the grounds surrounding the manor were extensive and allowed for the starfighter to land without issue. With that in mind, it was still rather dark outside given the lack of any electrical lighting.
The braziers and torches did little to brighten the area. As he thought this, the X-wing's headlights came to life, and illuminated everything in front of it.
A retractable ladder automatically appeared from one of the X-wing's many panels and unfolded before stopping a few centimeters above the ground. As it was, the X-wing was parallel to the dirt road which led in and out of the compound. It was situated around fifty meters from the manor, and a few meters from the dirt path.
The pilot, whose faced was obscured by the usual helmet, made there way off the starfighter. They wore the common fatigues. Orange flight suit, black gloves and boots, a white vest, and the life support. After climbing down the ladder, they turned to meet Luke.
As they walked toward the Jedi, they removed their helmet, revealing their yellow-greenish skin. The skin accompanied by the distinct lekku extending from their head told Luke this was a member of the Twi'lek species.
The Twi'lek walked up to Luke and stopped around a meter away before standing straight and saluting, "Commander Skywalker."
Luke released a sigh at the pilot, who he saw was a female, "Did Wedge tell you to do this?"
The pilot gained a grin before lowering her arm, "He said it would annoy you, sir."
Luke shook his head at his friend's joke before extending his arm which the pilot took, "I just find it awkward. Either way, there is no need for you to call me commander, Luke is fine."
"I'm Lieutenant Yarra of Phantom Squad. I carry what you asked for. A communication dish." As she said that, the cargo hold's hatch opened revealing a large cylindrical device. Around half a meter in diameter, the device sported various buttons and slots.
Before Luke could say anything further, the familiar beeping of an astromech reached his ears. He watched as the blue-domed R2-D2, removed himself from the designated socket before lowering himself with his mini-rocket thrusters.
It rolled up and released various joyful beeps at the sight of Luke. The Jedi placed his hand on the droid's dome, "Sorry for being away from you. Its rare for us to be apart, especially in the last few years."
A few more beeps, which to anyone else would seem nonsensical, replied to Luke and sounded as if Artoo agreed.
"What is this barrel?" Rory stepped up, and eyed Artoo. The astromech replied with more beeps, seemingly offended. Seems the astromech was implanted with the translation chip created by Threepio.
"She means no harm, Artoo. This is Rory, she's a…friend." Luke said before turning to Rory.
"Rory, this is not a barrel. His name is Artoo. He's a friend." Luke introduced. Rory raised a brow at him.
"Friend? Is there a dwarf inside the barrel? Is it some sort of armor?" Rory proceeded to ask.
Luke paused, "It's a bit complicated. I can probably explain later, but now we have other things to do."
Rory seemed content, but Luke did not doubt she would hold him to that explanation. Lelei wandered off to get a closer look at the X-wing. She eyed the starfighter with great interest.
"We'll need help unloading the dish. It isn't exactly light." Yarra said as she walked up to the X-wing. Luke followed, and stood directly in front of the X-wing. Lelei stood off to the side and noticed their approach.
"I do not think that should be a problem." Luke replied before reaching out with the force. He extended his arm in the direction of the X-wing cargo hold. The cylindrical device situated within, shifted slightly before raising.
Luke focused on moving it out of the cargo hold, and out from underneath the X-wing. After a few seconds, the device floated away from the X-wing, and floated above the ground.
"Or you could do that." Yarra said as Luke placed the device on the ground. It stood nearly a meter and a half in height, and its weight matted the grass beneath it.
Yarra quickly got to work and made sure to remove the power battery from the cargo hold as well. This was nowhere near as heavy, so Yarra could easily lift it. Power batteries were pre-built, pre-charged, rectangular power sources often used on remote locations. The Rebellion utilized on almost everyone of their bases. Whenever electrical lines were not available these batteries were substitutes.
After connecting the battery to the dish, she pressed a few buttons on the dish's cylindrical body.
The first thing she pressed caused four thin, rectangular, and vertical panels to open. They opened diagonally before the rectangular panels folded. From the four openings, four legs extended outward. The legs had sharp points which dug into the ground once they were fully extended. This gave the device more stability. As she continued booting up the dish, Luke decided to check on Lelei.
"Are you okay?" He asked the young girl.
She turned to face him, effectively tearing her eyes off the X-wing, "This is one of the birds used to kill the flame dragon."
Luke nodded, "Yes. Up close, you can see it is not a bird."
"What is it? I thought them to be powerful familiars, but seeing up close, this does not seem like a living creature. You called it a ship?" Lelei said as she focused on the X-wing once more.
"Yes, but our understanding of what a ship is, differs greatly." Luke started.
"Indeed. The ships I've seen are made of wood, and sail across the seas. This ship has no wood, no oars, and no sails." Rory chimed in.
"You are not wrong about a ship sailing across oceans, but in my world, we've discovered a means to travel across the skies as easily as we would travel the ocean." Luke explained, purposefully omitting the fact that air travel was thousands of years old, and rudimentary. He did not want to hit them with the idea of space travel yet. He was not sure if they knew what outer space was, so he'd refrain for now.
"To travel the skies…how is that possible without magic?" Lelei asked. If she was not told otherwise, she would assume it powerful flight magic. Far more powerful than the enchantment she put on her staff earlier in the day, but she knew these people did not use magic. At least not any magic she knew of.
"Is that why you are the Sky Walker? You control an armada of these sky ships?" Rory jumped to conclusions.
Before Luke could correct her, Yarra called out, "Everything seems good to go. Initial boot-up has finished, now all we need is to seek out the signal given out by the antenna at the camp."
"Right, thank you, Yarra. Give Wedge my thanks and tell him I do not appreciate his attempts to make me squirm." Luke said humorously.
"They are not "attempts" if they work. Besides, I heard you pranked him back on Hoth, something about snow down his flight suit. Maybe this is payback." Yarra said as she made her way to the retractable ladder. At the base, she placed her helmet back on.
Luke remembered that day fondly, "That's Wedge for you, always omitting details. If I remember correctly, he started that by switching my shower's function to cold."
Yarra chuckled as she climbed up the X-wing. She entered the cockpit, and as the transparisteel canopy closed, the Twi'lek yelled out, "You'll have to take that up with him, Commander!"
He backed up and motioned for Rory and Lelei to do the same. They were unsure why, but believed Luke knew what he was doing, so backed up as well. The whistling and humming of the X-wing's fusial engines swept throughout the courtyard. Luke felt his hair and cloak shift as the engines revved up, and the X-wing lifted itself off the ground.
A few moments later, the X-wing was several meters above the manor, and it took up into the sky. The dim, red lights of its engines being the last signs of the starship in the infinite night.
"Alright, Artoo you're up." Luke said as he patted the astromech's dome.
Artoo beeped before rolling forward near the cylindrical device. As Artoo opened one of his horizontal panels and extended his scomp link to connect to the device's socket, Luke glanced over to the manor's steps.
He was still around fifty meters away from the princess and countess, and he noticed how Piña whispered to her confidants. Her looks of uncertainty and confusion were not lost on the Jedi.
Luke turned back to his blue-lined astromech droid. Artoo twisted his scomp link and the socket followed. The top of the cylinder parted open allowing a pole with a ring atop it to slide upward. Attached to one side were rectangular shaped metal panels which overlay each other.
They were not completely rectangle and narrowed as they grew closer to the center ring. Each rectangular panel was attached to a different level of the ring and each were split into three sections. The first section which was the narrowest was attached to the ring and extended upward diagonally. The second section of the rectangular panels was folded downward, and the third section hung loosely from the second.
The pole came to a stop and was around half a meter tall with a sixteen-centimeter diameter. The rectangular panels were of equal length and hung loosely, mere centimeters from touching the rest of the cylindrical body.
Lelei and Rory watched the device curiously, and Luke noticed the others near the manor steps did the same.
Artoo twisted his scomp link once more, and the panels came to life. They were now fully erected and spun around the ring to create a dish. There sides were barely touching but still left no gaps in between. The lowest panels, the one directly attached to the ring, was at a forty-five-degree angle and extending away from the ring. The second section extended from there at an eighty-degree angle, and the final section inclined inward at a one-hundred and thirty-degree angle.
Artoo twisted once more, and the dish spun wildly before aiming southward. It would jitter left and right slightly before stopping. It aimed southward, directly toward the tunnel.
The astromech droid beeped happily, and Luke smiled.
"It's done. We have a connection." Luke said.
"That was faster than expected, but to be honest, I was not sure what to expect." Rory commented.
Luke headed back to the manor entrance, Lelei, Rory and Artoo following closely.
As the Jedi approached the steps, Piña stepped forward, "Is it finished?" She asked.
Luke gave a nod, "Yes, Your Highness. The connection was extended, so we can now speak with Count Formal."
"Very well." Piña replied.
There was a moment of pause. As the seconds ticked by, Luke grew increasingly awkward, "Um…would you like to return inside?" Luke asked.
Piña seemed to realize she had not said anything and was quick to reply, "Would that make it easier for this…this connection?"
Luke then nodded to himself. He kept forgetting these people were completely in the dark, "It does not matter whether we are inside or outside. Whatever is most comfortable."
"Then if I may cut in, Your Highness." The head maid spoke, "Normally, I would not allow for the countess to remain without her rest for this long, but this matter is of great importance. With that in mind, I suggest returning inside as the wind is beginning to pick up, and it would not do the countess good if she grew ill."
Myui gave the maid a nod, "Thank you, Kaine."
With no objections, they all returned inside.
A/N: Mainly filler, I know and I am sorry.