Part 2

Part 2

Sparks flew from the shield generator as the ship was hit again. "WE HAVE TO TURN IT OFF!" A shout came across the noise.

"How do you suggest we do that in the middle of a fight?" a twi-lek, assistant asked through the noise. Anakin threw the cezzal welder off to the side.

"Tell Drel to go run," he called over. The Twi-lek's eyes narrowed.

"Me?! You tell him Ani! I'm not going to tell him to give up the run! I'm not crazy!" The Twi-lek cried as he welded two wires back together and screwed on the case.

Another blast shook the ship and Anakin rolled his eyes standing up he cursed under his breath, something he had picked up in his year with the smugglers. As he stumbled over to the comm. as the ship shook again. He hit the button hard and the comm. came on.

"DREL!"

*

"What is it Kid? We're in a situation up here!" Drel shot through the comm. as Katiana swung the ship away from the fighters then performed a U turn and the squadron lead by Drels second Alex Kaztk, followed suit before breaking back and destroying several of the enemy fighters.

"Yah, well it won't matter, in two minutes the shield generator will blow and we'll be completely defenseless!" Anakin growled through the comm. to Drels ears. Drel sighed and turned to Katiana.

"Turn the ship back and go to hyper space," He put his head against his hands as he finished. "And tell the fighters to run, we'll meet them at the predeturmened rondevouz spot 8a." Katiana watched him as he said this and nodded.

"Yes sir." She said before turning back toward her council.

*

"Come in," Drel said as the door protocol droid announced his engineers arrival. Anakin walked in and grimaced, as Drel did not look up at him.

"Captain, we have a slight problem, the shield gen-" Anakin stopped as Drel looked up at him. The man's hair was grayer than the first time Anakin had met him about a year ago, the day Anakin had ran away from his home and life. Drel had never inquired on anything about Anakin though, he just assumed that Anakin had been a refugee, and in a way Anakin had.

Everything had been fine till the Yuuzhan Vong had arrived in the galaxy. No one had known where they were from. They had attacked many planets and taken many slaves along the way, at Seripidinal where the moon had fallen and Chewie had saved Anakin only to be incinerated by the moon. As far as Anakin knew his father had never forgiven him. Anakin had left about six months after the Wookies death and had been gone for over a year now traveling with Drel Wreis and his smuggler group. He was their engineer the one who had fixed the hyper drive and shield generator numerous times along with other equipment, and in turn saved the ship and the people on it numerous times.

"Two hundred million credits," Drel reached over and picked up a small statue of an Aurkiun god, Anakin had learned was very meaningful to Drel. To have a small statue of the Aurkiun luck god meant that you would have good luck in all your journeys, or at least so the people of Aukania had always said.

"That is how much we lost by not full filling the order." Drel stopped for a moment and looked up at the young man before him. "To top that off we have 400, 000, 000 katrels of Garzanium ore and no place to put it! We had one buyer and they are the only ones who deem that ore even valuable let alone essential and we fouled it? Why?"

The statue was set heavily down onto the desk as Drel stood. "Because a Shield Generator blew." Drel looked over at Anakin who didn't say a word. "A shield generator! A lousy Shield Generator!" He narrowed his eyes at Anakin. "What exactly went wrong, and you better tell me the truth kid."

Anakin swallowed and looked the Captain of the Eagles Flight, "The shield Generator was over loaded. It was worn and had been due to be replaced within the month. The wiring burned from the added pressure of holding up in the battle. Raeltar and I managed to keep it at bay for most of the battle but then it was…" Anakin trailed off as Drel waved his hand in a motion of silence.

"I sorry, I knew it needed replaced. I was sure it would hold for another few weeks," Drel put a hand to his temple and rubbed it in frustration. "We need a new shield Generator and whatever else is on this list. Drel turned around and grabbed a data-pad off his desk.

"What am I supp-."

"You are going to go down to the surface of Kaeltzar VI and find these parts. You have 200,000,000 credits just get the parts and send for us. When you've contacted us we'll come down to the surface." Drel turned and handed Anakin the pad. "Take Katiana, Devon and Frai. They'll provide you with any info you need and will prove to be adapt translators."

"Me? You're asking me? I'm just the engineer."

"Yes, and I have no real use for an engineer till we have something to fix do I?" Drel sighed. "Anakin, just go. You still have a job, no matter if you're an engineer or not. Besides Raeltar can fill in for whatever odd jobs you would have to do in this time period. Think of it as a vacation, with pay."

"Ye-Yes sir. When do I go?"

"Tomorrow, 08:00 hours you'll take the Eagle Wing 2 down to the surface, from their you guys choose. You can split into pairs or go alone, doesn't matter. You just need to have all the parts within the week and be ready to be picked up the same day."

"I take it there's someone you don't want to know you're around." Anakin pointed out.

"Damn right! You can have Devon tell you all about it on the way down to the surface tomorrow if you'd like. I'm sure he'll be very willing to fill you in on every detail." Anakin chuckled slightly at that.

"Now go get some rest kid, I don't want you to fall asleep on the job."

"Yes sir, captain sir." Anakin did a mock salute and backed out the door. Drel shook his head and got back to work.

*

"Hey Anakin!" a voice called over as he walked down the hall of the Eagles Flight. Anakin smiled slightly.

"Okay, what did I do this time?" He asked. The blonde haired man laughed and shook his head.

"Ani, come on, how'd you get the assignment?"

"What do you mean Devon?"

"Drel gave you the assignment, not me. In fact I'm going under your command. Doesn't that strike you as a little odd?" Anakin shrugged.

"Devon, when will you learn? I just do my job, and I follow orders. Just because you don't doesn't mean other people don't." Anakin said as they got to a common area. Katiana and some of the other smugglers were sitting in various places.

"So commander, when do you want your reception to be held?" She purred her tail swaying like a pendent behind the couch, which she laid on the top edge of.

"Reception, I'm not a king Kat… and besides its only one mission," Anakin pointed out as she turned her head.

"You are being modest Ani." She smirked. "You are a king, a king of the hyper drives."

"Kat, every aspect of life does not need a king or a queen," Frai the local Slicer called from his place at a holo-net terminal. He grinned, "besides that your probally drunk… on whatever that stuff you are drinking is."

"Yes it does, and no. I am not drunk…" She returned smiling innocently.

"You won't win Frai," Devon chuckled walking over to him. "She wins every time… what are you looking at?"

"If you don't mind I would like to get back to my job." Frai narrowed his eyes at the screen.

"What are you doing this time? Slicing into the New Republic DNA files or the Imperial Bounty files?"

"Neither. Now could you please buzz off? Alterian fly catchers are quieter than you," Frai shook his hand in Devon's general direction.

"Devon? What's he watching?" Anakin asked as he sat down. Devon did a once over than walked away a few feet as Frai threw a data pad in his general direction.

"He's watching his vids." Devon told them and looked over at Kat. Her eyes were narrowed and the purr had turned to a growl.

"I thought I had gotten rid of those!"

"Yah they went right out the airlock." Anakin confirmed.

"With his brain." Devon put in. chuckling as Kat stood up fuming and walked over to Frai her boots heels clicking on the hard metal floor.

"Frai," she growled. Frai didn't even bother to look up just mumbled a 'yah, whatever,' and continued watching. "Frai!" again he ignored her. "FRAI!"

Anakin laughed out loud at Katiana knocked Frai out of his chair and onto the floor. She practically ripped the Vid as she tore it out of the player. Grumbling the feline humanoid strode off down the hall in the direction of an airlock her tail swaying dangerously back and forth. Katiana was not in a good mood.

"Frai? What vid were you watching to make her so mad?" Anakin called over to the slicer as Frai struggled up.

"Uh, Night of the living dead?" He squeaked. Devon snorted.

"Yah, right! More like Night of the living 'Kat people'."

"Frai!" Anakin cried out laughing. Devon sat down on the couch and grabbed Katiana's deserted Drink.

"Hmm," he mumbled before taking a sip. He swallowed and made a face.

"Kat's special wine?" Frai asked. Devon shook his head.

"No, it's worse." Devon flinched. "If you want me I'll be in my room he threw the drink away and walked down the hall. Anakin stood and yawned.

"Man, why'd he have to spill the bean's about my vid?" Frai mumbled.

"Because when you invade someone's privacy eventually it'll come back to haunt you." Anakin clapped the fifteen year old on the back.

"Better go get some sleep, we have to go down to the surface in the morning." He smiled. Frai made a face.

"How'd you get commander? I mean your what? Eighteen and Devon's twenty seven?"

"I don't really know," Anakin shrugged. "I'll see you later Frai."

"Yah, whatever."

**

Anakin walked into his room and sighed. Turning on the lights he looked around at his 'home.' It was a three-room apartment, a main room with a kitchen island, a bedroom and a refresher station. He had been here for almost a year and had collected enough stuff to make the room look lived in but it still wasn't even close to his always-messy room back on Coruscant.

As he walked by the 'kitchen' he took out a fruit and a glass, putting the glass with the fruit on the table he popped a small meat tray into the miniature oven and set the time for 10 minutes before he turned and walked down the hall to his room.

Entering the room he slipped off his shirt and flung it on the floor. Hesitating before turning to go into the refresher he picked it up and tossed it in the corner with the rest of his dirty clothes. Stripping the rest of the way he flung his clothes into the corner and walked into the 'fresher station.

As he stepped into the sonic shower he reflected that this was one of the time he missed his fam- no his home most. He flipped the shower to cold as he finished his shower and stepped out. He dried his light brown hair and grabbed a pair of scissors.

Tilting the mirror so he could see easier he gave himself a decent haircut, he cout his hair short so it would stay out of his face. Brushing the hair off his back and chest he combed his hair again and wrapped a towel around his waist before going into the bedroom.

Once in his room he slipped a pair of boxers on and headed to the kitchen, his meal was done by the time he got there and he managed to take it out without burning himself having had a lot of practice. He ate quickly and cleared his dinner away before heading to the bedroom to go to sleep.

**

Anakin awoke the next morning to a blaring chrono as it told him to wake-up. He used the force in a moment of groggy blunder to push it off the table. It landed on it's side and broke. Anakin groaned and forced himself out of bed.

He walked over to the closet and pulled out a pair of clothes that would help him blend in once they got to the surface and pulled out the black bag he had originally carried onto the ship. Placing a brown leather tunic into the bag along with a black shirt, a light brown shirt and a black tunic. He then placed two pairs of pants among other things he loosened the strap so it would fit onto his now much more fit body from having been working constantly on different things.

Walking out the door he grabbed a bite to eat and drank some Calderian milk, not something that exactly tasted good, but Katiana gave everyone a bottle whenever she was sent on a supply run, and it had a lot of vitamins an minerals in it that were hard to get in the rations and food they got all the time so the crew had gotten used to not complaining when the bad tasting milk appeared in their monthly supplies.

The door buzzed and Anakin used the force to open the door, his droid wouldn't ask any questions about the fact he was sitting down across the room and the door had opened by itself.

The R5 unit beeped as it entered. Anakin chuckled. "Yah sparks, back so soon from maintenance?" The droid beeped an affirmative before a ruder beep came out. Anakin shook his head.

"Listen sparks, I'm going to be gone for a few days, take care of the room." Anakin paused as the droid beeped. "No, I can't take you. Sorry, it's strictly business. Trust me, I would if I could."

The droid beeped again as Anakin stood up and stretched. Walking over to the couch he grabbed his bag and went to the door. Opening it he walked out side and toward the common room.

"So you guys ready?" The two that were there looked up from where they were sitting across from each other playing holo-checkers.

"Yah," Devon said reaching over and shutting off the game. Frai nodded and sighed.

"Why do I have to go?" he asked a slight whine in his voice.

"All three of us have to go for parts, we're going because Anakin's still new to this area of space. He lived in the inner and outer rims for most of his life from what we were able to get out of him, and so he's still not used to the 'wild' space out here and our customs," Devon said making Anakin grimace.

"Common let's just go and get this over with," Anakin muttered just so they could here as he adjusted and readjusted the leather bag that hung off his shoulder.

"Yes, sir." Frai was about to do a mock salute but Devon caught his hand. Anakin had already turned and was walking down the hall as Devon shook his head.

"Don't, Anakin hasn't liked to be reminded that he's in charge even when he is," he whispered to Frai before grabbing his own bag. Frai nodded and followed a second later.

*

"Thought you'd be here," Anakin said as he entered the cockpit. Katiana had already positioned herself as pilot and smiled toothily her tail swinging.

"Is the little rodent on board?" She growled through her teeth.

"Yes, Frai is on board."

"Oh, so the little beast is feeling brave today." She growled glaring at the door. Looking back at her council she read a gage and flipped a switch into the ready position.

"You realize if you harm him you'll jeopardize whatever twisted mission we're on here," Anakin flipped a switch, and looked over double-checking the readout. She glared at him and started the engines warming up.

"Jepordize, ha! You'd probally be thanking me!" She grumbled. Anakin looked over at her, reaching over her he pressed a button and looked down at her.

"Just wait a week, alright? Then when we get back to the ship you can use him as target practice." He stood and turned checking a read out as he did so. "The ships ready to go call Command and tell them we want to take off."

"Understood, oh and if we go on teams don't make me go with him, you'll regret it," her 'paw' paused on the comm. switch. Anakin nodded.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't dare try unless it was a matter of life and death." He turned and walked out of the cockpit leaving Katiana to her duties.

"This is Eagles Wing two, requesting permission to take off from docking bay 1 pad 2 in two minutes," She called as she checked another gage. "Eagle Flight control do you read?"

"This is Eagle Flight Control you are clear for take off. Docking bay doors are open in 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 you are clear for take off."

"Roger that control see you in a couple of days."