Chapter two – The derelict
Mel brought the Liberator close to the derelict vessel, scorch marks could clearly be seen within the hull of the corvette.
The aft port section of solar collector had been pulverised, by incoming fire from the TIE fighters.
On the side of the craft was the vessel name the Narcissus, line the Liberator up for the hanger, she gently touched down.
"E.V. suites are the order of the day, no life support."
"You bring me to all the must see locations." Cathka replied nervously.
R3 had already emerged from the droid socket of the Liberator, and was waiting for the Mel, and Cathka.
As the small group of three made there way out of the hanger and into the ship itself, they found the first victim of the decompression.
By the looks of it, the decompression had been rapid.
The crew man lay where he fell, with a look of horror frozen on his face.
A few feet away two more crew men, then something neither Mel nor Cathka had expected.
A destroyer droid from the clone wars, fallen on it side, inert.
As they made their way passed the other crew and to the bridge, they discovered the remains of a pitched battle.
Four battle droids shot, blown to bits, two more battle droids were inert on the floor.
"What in the world…" Mel whisper to herself.
"R3 make sure these droids, are permanently offline." Cathka instructed her droid, who trundled off to begin its work.
Studding the console, she discovered the ship was ready to be reactivated. The logs showed that the systems had been terminated and the safety protocols overwritten to open the vessel to vacuum, which happened a little over five years ago.
As Mel continued her exploration of the computer core systems, she found a manifest of droid which had been requested to be delivered to an Imperial depot.
Listed on the docket were four advanced battle droids clone wars era, one dwarf spider droid (unassembled) and a Protocol droid.
"Cathka, has R3 found a Protocol droid?"
Cathka confirmed that he'd discovered a relic from the clones war, a dwarf Spider droid, but no Protocol droid.
An hour later…
After a full exploration of the Corvette, there was no sign of the missing droid, the only explanation was it had taken the missing pod, but why?
Meanwhile Mel had been working in the cockpit splicing the computer to reprogram the core systems, or as she called it "breaking it in!" .
Cathka had reported the discovery of the Corvette to General Lokta of the Republic, who'd ordered them to recover the Corvette or if need be to scuttle her.
The other systems of the Corvette slowly came to life, to a certain degree.
Life support was fully operational, the ship now hummed as power flowed through its systems, like blood through a body.
The sub light engines were another story, they had forty percent thrust, and only the back up hyperdrive was operational.
As the main hyperdrive was little more then a melted mess of junk, and would have to be replaced.
"Do we get a bonus for bringing back a corvette?" Joked Mel as she readied the ship for the long trip to Nimbus Station.
"You wish."
As Mel slipped into the pilot's seat, Cathka took the controls next to her.
"Course set Mel, take us to light speed."
Mel's fingers danced across the console, as the backup hyperdrive spun into life.
A moment later the Corvette jumped into Hyperspace, leaving the wreckage of the TIEs behind them.
Nimbus Station Three months later.
Nimbus three was located inside a small planetoid found deep within the asteroid belt of a binary star.
It'd been in use during the clone wars, after the Jedi purge a resistance cell rediscovered and reactivated the station.
Fortunately it had been long forgotten by the Empire, an added boon for the resistance.
Within dry dock one, the Narcissus had been under going extensive refit.
The solar collectors had been removed, so had the engine block, replacing it with a newer engineering section and hyperdrive unit.
The battle droids had been removed, their core systems inspected for information regarding the fate of the Narcissus during the war.
Mel had been officially welcomed into the Republic navy with the rank of Major, Cathka promoted to the rank of Commander.
Along with three months of extensive training, various missions, all with the aim of boosting Mel's skills, and confidence.
It was at his point that Mel had been invited to meet with the stations Admiral, Admiral Junka.
The admiral was a well built Twi'lek human female, with short green hair and cones where her ear should have been.
As Mel took a seat before the Admiral she looked up from her console.
"Mel, good to see you again I've been reading through your training results, and I'm impressed. All your instructors' reports are encouraging, and I think its time to send you on you're first real mission. On Lento II there are reports of a crime syndicate starting to recruit pirate groups, and even have the small space port Rex's Hold in their pocket. Your mission is to get noticed by the syndicate, and infiltrate them. Once you've achieved this, then we can use your position to discover details about the group, and its backers. To this end, I've arranged for you to be assigned a modified Gozanti Cruiser, the Eagle. Your documents have been altered, you'll be hauling a cargo of questionable goods, and you'll leave in six hours. We've assigned you a co pilot, that can be a bit odd, but I'm sure you'll get on well. Also you'll find something of use in the cargo bay."
Bay Beta two, six hours later
The Eagle was a beast of a ship, used in both the clone wars, and civil war, although this vessel had been modified heavily.
From upgraded hull plating and shield systems, to enhanced weapons systems and engines, this thing was simply put, a bruit.
Walking up behind her Cathka let out a whistle; "Well we did owe you a ship I suppose."
"Yeah, you did, you come to see me off?"
"You know it Mel; you take it easy out there. You may have got the easy mission to be honest."
"What make you so sure?"
"Mine well lets just say that's it's a tough mission, but top secret, so you know."
"Yeah I know Cathka, don't forget next time we meet up for a drink, it's my round."
Both women laughed, as Cathka watched Mel make her way to the ramp leading into the Eagle.
In the hanger bay were twenty large containers, grabbing the manifest of her console she read the label, B2 Battle droids.
Fifty units per container, all non functional thank the gods.
Behind which there was a familiar looking Dwarf Spider Droid, whose head turned to look at her.
"Hello mistress, Cathka repaired and reprogrammed me, and informed me that I was to be your back up."
Mel, sighed inwardly to her self, it was something her old friend would do.
"What do I call you?"
"I am known as SD-01, but you can call me SD."
SD's voice unit had a male personality to it, which spoke softly.
"Well SD, welcome onboard any other surprises I should know about?"
"I have been retro fitted with three small spider attack droids."
"What, spider attack units SD?"
"Allow me to show you", with that a small hatch opened at the bottom of the droid. As one two foot high black sphere, with three legs jumped free.
From its midsection a small barrel of a weapon appeared.
"My spiders can use stun or kill settings; they can also be placed to monitor chosen locations."
Cathka had out done herself again, Mel knew she was good with droids, it always surprised her just what she could create."
"Impressive SD, prepare for departure."
"Of course Mistress," with that the small spider jumped back into SD.
As Mel walked through the ship, she met all six of the flight crew, and the five of the gunnery crew.
Walking into the cockpit of the Eagle, Mel found a Zeltron woman sitting in the co pilot's seat.
She was performing the pre flight checks; she looked up smiling at Mel.
"Mel, I trust."
Mel like most had heard of the Zeltron race, but had never actually any before.
This woman in her thirties with long red hair, and light red skin to match was her first.
"Hi Tentha it's good to finally meet you."
Reading through the run down of her crew, she discovered that like herself, Tentha had been a freighter pilot.
Nothing on the size of Eagle her last vessel was an 'YT-2400 freighter'. But had hauled the craft for a company for over ten years, until her load and vessel had been sized by a Moth of what was left of imperial forces.
"Likewise Mel, all systems are ready for dust off, air locks sealed and we have a go from control."
Taking her seat next to Tentha she, familiarized herself with the controls, before bring the thrusters to bear and slowly the Eagle lifted off.
As the Eagle departed from the station, the large doors closed behind her before her main engines throttled to full burn.
A short time later the hyperdrive span up and the ship jumped to light speed.
It would take two days to get to Lento II, time to go through the mission at hand, and become acquainted with the crew.
Meanwhile in the mess, two of the gunnery crew were sitting with another crew member.
"So what you think?" The Lee said as he sipped his drink.
"Do I think to what?" the tough looking Mirialan female engineer replied.
"You know, the new Captain of this Tug, Mel was it?"
Lee's friend Gray sighed; "You're not starting that again are you?"
"Yeah I am, she's replace the old cap, he was a decent guy, one of the lads."
"Yes he was, however he's been reassigned, and so we've got the new cap, get use to it Lee." Gray grumbled.
"Yeah but it should've gone to Tentha, not the new girl!" Snapped Lee in frustration, it just didn't seem right to him.
"It was, but she turned it down."
"You're shitting me Gray." Lee replied in disbelief.
"Nope, if you don't believe me, go ask her yourself."
There was a long pause before Olo spoke, he may well be getting on in years and had fought in the resistance during the civil war.
Being a gunner, he didn't get himself involved that much in crew arguments, well not anymore at least.
"Will you knock it off Lee, if the new Cap gets us through the missions and we get home in one peace what in the hell does it matter? Tentha turned down the Caps seat, so Mel got it, let it go man. Words speak louder then actions you know."
With that Olo went back to drinking his coffee, leaving Lee to ponder on his words.
Gray stood up and made her way back towards engineering, she'd been an engineer specialising on star ship engines all her adult life.
It was due to Gray insistence that the engines on the Eagle had been upgraded. Giving her the chance to upgrade the shields, and at the same time to install a second redundant shield system.
Once in the engineering section of the ship Gray was greeted by KD-4 Tech Droid – Kay as he liked to be called.
"Welcome back Gray, the newly installed mine deployment system diagnostics program has been completed. They are at optimal efficiency and ready for deployment."
"Have you informed Tentha?"
"I have, and she is most please by the outcome." Kay's voice had a hint of satisfaction within it.
Meanwhile back in the mess.
Olo stretched before he stood up, ahead of him was a full morning of targeting and weapons system maintained to do, the joys of being on of the gunner crew.
"Lee you coming I need your help this morning, or you still stewing?" Olo snorted.
"Keep your hair on old man, I'm on my way."
Four hours later.
Tentha and Mel had made their way to the mess; this part of the trip had to be traversed at sublight.
Once they reached the next way point, they could jump to lightspeed again.
However that would mean five hours at sublight speed, which would give them enough down time to eat and sleep.
The back up pilot by the name of Kaylon would take this part of the shift, he was the youngest of the crew, and very talented with a gift for piloting.
As both Mel and Tentha started to eat, they were joined by Gray who had just finished up.
"Gray this ship handles like a dream; the engines make her so nimble for a vessel of this size."
"And that's why I installed the new engines, before she was sluggish. She would take an age to get moving, sure enough given enough time she'd get there. But it's always better to have the power when you need it, after all it's better to have it and not need it, rather then need it and not have it."
"What other upgrades you made on the Eagle?"
"Besides the engines and shields, we've upgraded the sensor equipment, weapons, core computer system. Then we reinforced the armour plating on the hull. She's bigger meaner, well protected and got teeth if we need them, while at the same time looking like an old cruiser from the Imperial days."
For the next hour, Mel got to know Gray and Tentha a little better, but it wasn't long before she took her leave and made her way to her cabin.
Mel was awoken by the sound of the com systems; "Mel to the bridge." Kaylon's voice called out.
Bridge…
Both Mel and Tentha arrived on the bridge at the same time.
"Report?" Mel said stiffening a yawn.
"Sensor are picking up a weak distress signal, from the data link encrypted within, it's a code from the era of the Clone wars." Kaylon replied, still not quite believing what he'd discovered himself.
"Are you sure?"
"I am, the sensors have identified her as an old Corillian Consular class cruiser, and she's flying in old republic colours."
Mel thought over the possibilities before her; "Take us in, but bring shields online."
On the main console, Mel could see the cruisers engines were in bits, she had hull plating missing and had the unmistakeable signs of a violent encounter.
"Are we picking up any Life signs?"
"Not that I can detect.."
"Tentha, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this?"
"It's well worth investigating; she could hold supplies and information from the wars, Cap."
"Kaylor, insinuate docking procedures, have two armed guards at the air lock, Tenth I'd like you to lead the boarding party."
"Aye Cap, I'll take Kay with me so he can splice into the computer core, see if we can find out what its doing out here."
The Eagle slowly eased its way towards the docking port on the side of the derelict vessel.
With a deep clunk the airlock sealed, a moment later a green indicator blinked into life, showing a solid lock, however underneath it was a yellow solid light.
This indicated that there were dangerous levels of C02, this happened when life support systems failed.
It didn't take long for Tentha to organise a link between the ships, however restoring life support took longer.
Once complete the doors hissed open, showing a scene of complete carnage, scorched marks and blown consoles greeted Tentha as she stepped through into the vessel.
Dead clone troops lay where they'd fallen, some had scorch marks on their armour and two had their heads removed.
Further into the vessel more clone troopers lay along with the body of a Jedi, and one of the escape pods was missing.
One medical droid stood motionless next to the med bays door, it looked as if it had been deactivated, rather then been shot.
"Mel, this place is a mess we have long dead clone troopers all over the place, and a dead Jedi. My guess is it was the start of the Jedi purge. We do have a medical droid; I'm going to get Gray to look at it."
Gray had started her work on the ships core systems; bring power to minimum levels.
The record showed they been in a skirmish with the CIS, they'd managed to escaped, barley.
The engines had taken major damage and had blown out, leaving only thrusters.
Weapons systems were toast, along with the shields and hull plating, which was barely holding together, it must have been one hell of a fight.
Making her way over to medical, she found the droid Tentha had asked her to examine.
The droid in question was an old MD 5 medical droid, she rebooted it.
A few minuets later the droids eyes flickered, as it booted up through its systems, before it turned and looked at Gray.
"Who are you?" It enquired.
"I'm Gray; we're from a passing ship that discovered your vessel. You've been deactivated for some years, I'm afraid your crew is dead. Could you tell me what happened here?"
"I am a medical droid of the Grand Republic Army, Iwas assigned to this vessel just before this final mission. After the battle the clones suddenly attacked the Jedi, and Master Hu'lak managed to hold his own for a time before he was over come. His padawan Daagt Molan must have deactivated me; they planned to escape in one of the escape pods."
There was a sudden eruption of sparks, smoke, and fire from the rear of the ship, as the com channel sprang to life.
"Evacuate the vessel, she's going critical."
"Well if you want to survive droid you'd better come with us, a lot happened since you were deactivated."
The Eagle powered its way from the derelict vessel, moments later it erupted into flames leaving only debris where once the Consular class cruiser had once been.