Star Wars: The Defense Contractor.
Chapter 2: Tarkin'd
Lynette and Nobel were visibly tense; before them was the aftermath of the largest space battle they have seen thus far in their careers. Republic Acclimators stood victorious over the crippled wrecks of numerous Lucrehulk class battleships in orbit around the planet. An eerily silence stood over the battlespace as the ships and wrecks floated motionlessly as the sun disappeared behind the planet.
The two defense contractors repeatedly shot looks at each other while the bridge crew, fortunately too distracted by their tasks, remained calm and continued with their work.
"Somebody threw the poop at the fan." Nobel spoke as she aimed a pair of electrobinoculars at the nearest Lucrehulk wreck to conduct a preliminary assessment on its salvage feasibility and profitability.
"The republic caught their enemies' dead in the water, we'll be lucky to find anything in orbit or planet side that is worth claiming for salvage to line our own pockets." Lynette replies. "Just identify and tag the vessels that still can be salvaged for parts and materials as this is the main objective Kuat has contracted us to do."
Before her apprentice could reply, electronic intelligence (ELINT) officer jumped from his cubicle.
"Sierra-2 has lit up its fire control radar and is targeting us ma'am!" He shouted.
"Recommend course 185 to minimize our radar signature!" The helm shouts.
"Recommend preemptive action!" The weapons officer shouts over the other two.
"Republic Starship is hailing us ma'am." The communications officer squeaks over the three.
"Stand down our fire control radar." Lynette orders. "Put the transmission through on the red line."
Lynette walks over to a console with and picks up the red telephone receiver.
"Unidentified vessel, this is Republic Military Starship Enforcer. You have entered a restricted military battlespace. State your name and business or leave this area immediately."
"This is Lynette Bridger of the merchant vessel Kronos. Defense contractor license Alpha-Romeo-Foxtrot-1-1-4-2-Kilo-6-6-6-Hotel-5. This vessel is under contract by the Republic and Kuat Drive Yards to conduct preliminary battlefield salvage evaluation work in orbit and planet side. Additionally, I have several contractors and specialists onboard who have been assigned to assist in battlefield repair and salvage of planet side heavy republic equipment. If you would be a dear, soldier, but could you turn off your fire control radar as it is spooking my crew and civilian contractors onboard my vessel. Over."
"MV Kronos, this is Republic Military Starship Enforcer. Please hold your position as we check your credentials."
"We're not going anywhere."
As she waited, Lynette saw Nobel making some notes on her holopad, often shaking her head in dismay as her apprentice wrote off more and more wrecks as being unfeasible to salvage due to their extensively sustained battle damage.
"MV Kronos, this is Republic Military Starship Enforcer. We do not have you in our system for any contracts or work here in the Geonosis system. As part of the Defense Contractor act, subsection 44C, you are in violation of Transport standards and in breach of entering a restricted Republic battlespace."
"Excuse me?" Lynette asks before she was interrupted mid-sentence.
"HOLY MOONS! They all just painted a BIG, FAT, RED target on us!" Screams the ELINT officer.
"We are impounding your vessel, crew, and all civilian contractors onboard. Prepare to be boarded."
"Stand down weapons stations." Nobel immediately order, in-sync with the thought process of her master. "This isn't a fight we can win nor escape from. Stand down, do not give these big boys a reason to blow us out of existence.
"MV Kronos, this is Republic Military Starship Enforcer. You are currently in violation of the Defense Contractor act. Shut down your engines and weapons systems and prepare to be boarded. I repeat, stand down your weapons and lock down your engines, you are being boarded."
"Republic Starship Enforcer, this is MV Kronos. Understood, we will comply with your orders."
Lynette slams the receiver into the console, nearly destroying the apparatus in the process. She turns the address the crew.
"Alright, you know the drill. Weapons off, engines locked. If we have anything illegal onboard put it in a burn bag and feed it to the reactor. If it is something of value, put it in a vacuum proof bag along with a silent tracker before out the airlock! We have 10 minutes to make ourselves look presentable, GET GOING!"
On Lynn's command, every man and woman scrambled to get rid of the impeccable amount of contraband hidden throughout the Kronos while she made some calls to her friends in the industry. From missing artifacts to bizarre paraphernalia, everything was either burned in the reactor or shot out of the airlock for retrieval. It was a well-rehearsed routine and in a record time of 5 minutes, the Kronos was a presentable and completely 'legal' merchant vessel.
In the meantime, Lynn dials a number to reach one of her many contacts within the industry. This was the first time she had heard of this so called 'Defense contractor act' so she was interested in knowing which brainchild within the senate was responsible for it. As the phone rings, Lynn spots a bright flash coming from one of the Republic starships. A blue laser beam sails across the space and it did not take long for her to realize it was directed straight at the bridge of her ship.
"EVACUATE!" Lynn shouts turning her heels to run.
Seconds later, the bridge was rocked by a direct hit.
Several hours later...
"A galaxy spanning government does not need overwhelming force to control the will of its people when it has mastered the entire logistical framework of its domain. I found those words quite opposing to my own philosophy Ms. Bridger." A young republic naval officer snobbishly comments as he skims Lynn's information on his holopad. "And quite ironic given your occupation. Allow me to present you my belated congratulations for topping the charts for most tonnage of arms shipped by an individual contractor for the consecutive 5th year."
Lynette and her student were restrained to their side of the interrogation chamber, the two of them visibly furious with the events that had just transpired. Their frustrations were only compounded when they were greeted by the man who was now interrogating the two of them.
"Thanks, that uniform of yours costs the republic taxpayer a good 4000 credits. Imagine the amount of excess and strain it would be on the republic budget when it has to decorate millions more officers like you with the same exact copy." Lynn replied. "Time is money Tarkin, whatever you want from me, spit it out because I have credits to make and a schedule to keep."
"Oh no," Tarkin places his holopad onto the table and leans in clasping his palms together. "You are not going anywhere until a set of conditions have been fulfilled."
"This is an outrage Captain Tarkin." Nobel protests. "Firing upon a compliant union starship and then imprisoning its crew is not going to earn the republic any favors."
"You mean the union of independent contractors?" Tarkin laughs.
"As of 2 hours ago, that organization has been absorbed into the new Grand Army of the Republic. Which means…" Tarkin deviously glares at Lynn. "Both of you now work for me."
"Kiss my ass! I resign from whatever position I have been forced into." Lynn barks.
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid that is not an option for you as the GAR is not currently accepting the resignations of any of its officers at this moment." Tarkin presents a commander and Lt commander plaque on the table respectively in front of Lynn and Nobel.
"The two of you now work for me. As your new commanding officer, congratulations to you two on your induction and respective promotions in the new Grand Army of the Republic." He turns to Lynn specifically. "And an additional congratulations to you, commander Bridger, on your new command of the Tempelhof. Report to Kuat Drive yards to claim your new ship and crew."
"And what of my original crew Tarkin?" Lynette scowls.
"That is Captain Tarkin now commander Bridger. I shall forgive this one act of insubordination however warn that subsequent occurrence will net you penalties. As for your original crew, I will salvage and transport over to your ship any one of them who have some form of usable talent or expertise. The rest will be transported back to their home worlds and released so long as you and your student agree to faithfully execute your new roles within the GAR."
"You don't leave me with much of a choice, do you?"
"I never had the attention to do so." Tarkin gets up and brushes off his lap. "Your shuttle to Kuat will be ready for you in an hour. I will consider our agreement ratified if you report to it and make good speed to Kuat where you will be issued your next set of orders within the hour."
The captain then turns and leaves the two in their cell.
"Oh, and one more thing, since you have expressed your distastes for using republic taxpayer credits for excesses like uniforms, both of you will be billed 4000 credits to cover the expenses of your new uniforms. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir." Lynette grumbles.
"Lieutenant Commander Waldheim?"
"Klar, verstanden herr Kapitän." Nobel growls.
"Good, that will be all for now."