CHAPTER 4
"Stabilizing thrusters at maximum!" Master Skywalker shouted, bracing himself with his control console. Dorshe' quickly pounded the elevation control panel, so as not to waste a life clinging moment to get the ship back in balance. Then slowly but surely, the Everlasting, yielded, and placed itself in a level position, as if it made a difference in the empty abyss of space. "We're stationary Yoda." She stated taking in a deep breathe. "What happened, why did we leave hyperspace?" the young Grem expelled with a shocked curiosity, not caring much for courtesy this time around. Saliv's voices responded his Padawan's question. "Our star-thrust controller has malfunctioned, but how?" but then Master Romdel realized just how, "the Sith." "But the Sith villain couldn't have done anything to our hyperdrive, we checked Main engineering from top to bottom." But it was the Sith Somehow they new he had sabotaged the Everlasting without the Jedi knowing any better. "I'm going down to the Engineering deck, Dorshe' you have the Bridge!" "As you order!" she took a moment before he had stepped up to the exit-hatch. "Master Skywalker?" He turned and looked to the attractive Jedi master. "Yes, Master Oden?" He pointed his deep blue eyes to meet the wide silver eyes of Dorshe' Oden. "Try your best to leave Main engineering in one piece!" They shared a smirk, and Yoda then exited the Bridge. All that was said after that, before returning to their duties came from Chevacca's respectful quite roar. "Five credits, he blows a hole in portside!" Dorshe' brushed that thought away and began to take charge. She rotated her seat towards the view-screen in front of her as a sensation of danger came over her being. "Grem, are there any signs of a large group of ships in this system?" The blue Vurk looked down at his sensor console, he glanced between visual, and mathematical readouts. "I'm not picking up any ships in the area, I can't even identify this system as far as my readouts are. wait a minute." The young reptile increased his scanners to pick up the ion trails left by most ships, he was forced to confirm Master Oden's instincts. "I'm detecting about seven.no eight vessels, just behind a small moon less than a marsec from our current position." "Have they detected us yet Grem?" "No Master Oden, but I do believe they are waiting for us!" "How so young apprentice?" Chevacca prodded. "They are in a formation that would be classified as a standard ambush position" Saliv Romdel held a small smile on his face, the kind of smile a father would have for a son, who just learned how to sight a mathematical equation and then solve it all on his own. "Also their scanners our set in a perimeter encompassing the moons orbit. If we cross their perimeter, they will strike, that and I have a bad feeling about that moon!" "Very good Young Padawan" Dorshe's complement bringing a smile to Grem's face "Very good indeed!" Saliv added, looking his apprentice in the eye, only enhancing his student's wide smirk "What is our next course of action Master Oden?" the Wookiee's words filled minds of the three other Jedi. "I have an idea, but we are going to need to access the lifepod control subroutines. Chevacca, locate and hail Master Skywalker."
It didn't take long for Master Skywalker to reach Engineering deck. Using the force Yoda increased his speed immensely and in no time at all, he stood before the newly constructed entry hatch. Have Force, will travel! He thought to himself with only a hint of sarcasm. He tapped the access panel just to the left of the hatch, and the steel red wall. "Crngh-Hiss" the sound of the new but still defected door, filled Yoda's ears. He took no less than three steps until the hatch fell-shut with a great "Clunk!", as it gave in to its own weight. He looked for the malfunction, but brought his eyes down to find a tiny astromech, but not just any astromech, It was his faithful friend. "R2?" he was caught off guard by his presence. "Why aren't you in you recharge port?" he looked his metal companion square in the eye, that's when he new something was amiss. "R2, are you alright?" That's when the droid, sprung open the hatch to his laser emitters, this most definitely caught the Jedi master off guard. "Oh-oh!" The droid fired viscously, without emotion despite that fact that this was his Master. Yoda yanked his lightsabre from his belt, then ignited its green blade. He did his best to maneuver and deflect around the blasts without causing to much damage to the engineroom. Yoda jumped from level to level in the large metallic space, using the random fixtures to his advantage. Hanging from maintenance hatches, tossing loose parts from the prior event with the force in hopes of wounding the blue and white astromech. But the droid blasted them with sufficient ease. Poodoo! ,Yoda thought, why did I have to upgrade his targeting sensors too? But it wasn't until, Skywalker landed on a railing to the upper level, then he noticed the small blinking object on his beloved little friends dome. "A Manipulator!" so that's why R2 is attacking him, that explained why the Everlasting abruptly lost control, and fell out into normal space again. "The Sith must have done this to you my friend! He also used you to sabotage our ship. Well no longer!" Yoda jumped down, landing directly in front of the R2-unit once again. The droid shot once aimless blast toward the Jedi's shoulder while he took a moment to gather his circuits to attack him once more with full onslaught, but one shot was all Yoda needed. He raised his sabre in his right hand at an angle so as to deflect the first blast back at the droids' dome, just grazing his shell, but destroying the Manipulator. The astromech simply stood there for a minute. Frozen in time while the Manipulator's control subroutines washed away from R2's programming. Then as if to shake off a bad hangover. The droid rotated his dome from right to left, and proceeded to conceal his weapons back into his shell. "Feeling better R2?" The little robot, reluctantly responded. "Beeperooo!" "Well good, just be thankful no one was hurt, any idea what you did to the Hype." the dark blonde Jedi was caught off by Dorshe's familiar voice, projected via the Everlasting's internal comm. system. "Is everything alright down there Master Skywalker, we detected laser fire in Main engineering." "Situation under control Dorshe', the Sith planted a Manipulator on R2, and he lost control of himself." "Is he okay" Master Oden knowing very well how much that droid meant to Yoda, let alone how R2 stood as a testament to immortality. "He's fine now just, just a couple scrapes and bruises." He chuckled as he padded R2-D2 on his new battle scar. "Anything else Master Dorshe'?" "Unfortunately." She switched from concern for R2 and to the matter at hand. "On the other side of a moon, about a marsec away from our current position, there is a fleet consisting of eight varying ships. Master Romdel believes them to be a small fleet of smugglers and his Padawan believes they are preparing to ambush us." Master Skywalker looked up at the nearest ceiling as if he expected Dorshe' to be there and see his confused expression. "So why don't we just leave the system at repulse until we get the Hyperdrive repaired?" "Grem believes that if we show any sign, that we know the smugglers position. They would come after us any way." Skywalker took a moment to admire the student's obvious observation. "Any plans, as to how we should handle this threat?" "Yes, but you will need to make your way to back to the bridge, we will need to use the force together in order to accomplish this. Skywalker replied understanding what Dorshe' truly meant. "Understood I will be there in a moment, Yoda out!" He turned to R2, shooting him a cocked eyebrow. "Come you, no telling what other kinds of trouble you could land yourself into alone." The droid returned with a grumbling whistle. "Lets go, R2!" Yoda ordered and R2 leaned back on the axis connecting his body an his two legs, and released a third leg from the bottom of his round torso, and then elevated himself on the three wheels which were contained in those limbs. Then eagerly followed his master to all the excitement.
* * *
Mortep stood there on the Bridge of the "Lucky Bantha", Arguing to the holo-projection of his employer, Jiles Oiket now dawned in his more comforting black robes. "I understand what we're being paid to do!" Mortep pulled out a rustic old touch panel, and read from his contract placed on its cracked screen. ".when encountering the Jedi- cruiser 'Everlasting', upon its arrival in the The Kamino systemsystem. The combined fleet-for-hire, headed by Mortep Kuga, are under the direct orders of its employer to destroy the ship by any means necessary, under the strict parameters that the Everlasting's destruction look accidental." The life-size hologram stared back at Mortep with a confused look. "Yes? So what else do you wish for?" "More money!" The large Weequay demanded. "More money! This fleet has been hiding behind this moon in this lost star-system, for over three days!" "I assure the Jedi-ship should be appearing on your sensors soon." "Forget the Jedi, as far as I'm concerned I don't give the order to fire, on any ship until I, and my crew get paid!" He stood closer to the Holo-projection, piercing the eyes of the artificial Jiles. Almost as if, by intimidation, he would actually hand Mortep ,his money. Jiles was unbroken with his arms crossed, he seemed as if he were going the respond to Mortep's threat, but his transmission was cut off. "Aahg, Rancor's Hide!, Platog! We lost the communi." he was cut off by the reactivation of the Holo-projector. Only this time it wasn't Jiles's image that emanated from the machine. Instead it was the image of a small cloaked figure, a female figure from what Mortep could tell by the sight of her uncovered hands. "Who Daf's name are you?" Mortep spitefully grunted. "I'm your true employer" She said seductively. "Well good then, maybe you can help me wit." "Maybe you can do as your ordered!" She threw back in his face. "If I paid you for anything else useful, besides destroying the Jedi. Then you would be right here, scrubbing my windows!" Her eyes began to burn red with anger even that Projected through the image. "Now just do as our contract dictates, and we will talk about any other financial issues once you have completed your job. Unless you prefer to spend the rest of your days washing transparent steel! then." "No, no I will follow my contract to its end!" he injected before the dark woman went any farther. "Good, I will await my pupil's report once you inform him of the Jedi's unfortunate demise." The holo-projector, shut off, and Mortep took a deep breath in. it was only a projection! He thought. But I still felt like I met death, even I'm not stupid enough to deny death.
"Platog, hail the other ships!, tell them to break orbit. The ambush is on, we are going to hunt down those Jedi!" "Aye-Aye! Mortep." the eager to please Dug, tapped the controls to signal the other ship's with Mortep's orders. That's when the Lucky- Bantha's scanners picked up a signature. "Mortep, I'm picking something up on the sensors." "Is it the Everlasting?" "I' don't think so? Its far to small, and moving incredibly fast, and its being followed by several other, similar objects at equal pace." "Well then what are they?" Mortep grew impatient. "I don't know."Platog's eyes widened. "but they are heading straight for us, on an impact course!" Mortep tapped a panel on his command chair behind him. "All hands! Brace for." Mortep was knocked off balance by an explosion from the deck below and sent careening into his command chair. Eventually meeting his face to the floor, only to be interrupted by the sound of Platog's groggy voice. "Mortep, scanners are down." Platog now sitting back in his chair, utilizing all four of his limbs.".Along with communications, we are separated from the rest fleet." "Forget about the fleet for now!" He injected. "what hit us?" The dug looked down at the sensor readout just before the impact. "From, what I can gather, anything from a proton pulse, to an asteroid." "Is the View-screen operational?" Mortep asked as he collected himself into his command chair. "Barely." He puffed. "Give me what you have then!" Mortep would regret those words. For what he saw made him wish they were bombarded by asteroids. "A republic fleet!" he quenched. Then Mortep counted his opposition. three Destroyers, four Battleships, and one Dreadnaught. "A Dreadnaught?" His fleet of smuggler's were no match for the Republic Dreadnaught alone. "Do we have shields or weapons?" How the Weequay could even think of going against this was idiotic to begin with. "No, but if we leave soon we still might have our hyperdrive before they can fire another bombardment!" Platog not even bothering to hint at the distress of the trap they nursed themselves into. "Fine! Set course for the Umgul sector. If the others know what's good for them. They'd best meet back at to rendezvous point." Mortep looked out the view screen once more, and he couldn't help but wonder how the Republic fleet had found them out. "Engage!" and with that said the Lucky-Bantha disappeared into the stars.
Grem overlooked the senor readouts that appeared on the screen in front of him, then over to the visual display. The lead ship had left that was a good start but would the others.wait yes! He thought in jubilation, their plan worked. All the smuggler ships had been scared away from the system. Master Dorshe's scheme had succeeded. While Grem launched the lifepods from the Everlastings's hull with Sensor beacons inside each of the tiny crafts, to fool the smuggler's scanners. Master Saliv and the others would combine their powers and mask the lifepods as a different battleship then projecting those images into their minds. Then through careful aim, and the Force's guidance, Grem would use the Everlastings proton emitters to knock out each of the enemies sensors from a distance so as to not give their clever rouse away. The Vurk turned his chair round to find the four Jedi masters still entranced in deep meditation at their seats. He also found Master Skywalker's legendary droid, R2-D2 manning the ships power distribution network so as not to be detected by the enemy fleet. It was inspiring to see that astromech. When he was a young boy, before even going to the Temple to learn the ways of the Force, Grem Venad remembered the times his father would tell stories of great adventures, and even greater heroes: Obi-Wan Kenobi, General during the Clone wars. Luke Skywalker, Hero of the Rebellion and Savior of the Jedi. Wedge Antilles, Commander-an-chief of the War against the Yuuzhan Vong. Chewbacca Great Wookiee Warrior till the end. Jaquel Oden the First Jedi to settle a full scale intergalactic war without once igniting his lightsabre. R2-D2 small droid with the heart of a larger than most real beings. Along with his companion, the equally aged protocol droid C-3PO, they lived through Great wars, and even greater times of peace. Grem had met so many of these heroes' decedents, but never the actual hero. He was in aw, he forgot he was staring at the astromech. R2 pivoted his dome towards the star stung reptile, and his eye meet Grem's eyes. the tall blue being sat up in his chair, as if it were his first day at the Temple, learning good posture all over again. The blue-white robot waddled his way over to Grem, then spewed a small eight by eleven sheet of paper from an open slit in his steel torso. The Jedi Padawan raised his brow in confusion, but R2 whistled encouragingly, almost as if to say: 'Go on!, take it!' and he did just that. Taking the paper with both of his three fingered hands, Grem flipped it over, too discover that in fact it was a picture of R2, with an inscription that read. "To my new friend, Grem Venad." the apprentice recited out loud. ".May the Force be with you, good luck becoming a Knight, at this rate. You will be on the High Council in no time! Your buddy, R2-D2." He ended with a chuckle. "My Papo's stories told nothing of you being a comedian." He remarked. "Thank you R2, I will treasure this gift." "He means it too you know!" replied a drowsy Yoda Skywalker staring at the beseeched student and his new friend. "When R2 makes a friend, he means it!" The confirming thought pleased Grem, it even brought a warm feeling to his hearts to hear again. "Now I take it our trick was a success?" master Skywalker asked an unnecessary question. "With all do respect Master Skywalker!" The other Masters on the Bridge began to return to consciousness. "but if the trick didn't work, not only would you still be attuned to the Force, you'd be one with it!" this small display of humor on the usually well ground Padawan, brought all of the other Jedi out of their sleepy state, and into another full of laughter." "So your apprentice can tell a joke, Saliv." Chevacca's thoughts now reentered their minds. "Wonder where he got it from?" added Master Oden. This caused even R2 to hoot, but they had a mission to accomplish and Master Skywalker knew it could not last for ever. "Alright everyone, lets return to the our tasks at hand." "Buzzkill!" Dorshe' remarked with sarcasm. "What is our current status?" Grem took R2's picture and neatly placed it in his tunic and looked over his sensor readouts once more. "All enemy craft have left the system, and there are currently nine of original fifteen lifepods floating in open space." Grem stated with a smile still present on his blue face. "I concur, nothing but background noise and the homing beacons on all frequencies" Chevacca answered, before Dorshe' "Hyperdrive is still down, preparing to dispense all remaining astromechs to begin repairing" She glanced over to Skywalker. "Again!" she stated clearly and directly towards the responsible party. "Not possible." interrupted Master Romdel. "Power distribution to the recharge ports has been cut, do to internal damage." "Great!" Yoda mumbled with a hand covering his bearded face. "What was I suppose to do! Let R2 blast me to pieces?" "Well at least you could have stayed in one spot." Saliv added. "from what my readouts tell me their isn't cubic one meter of Main Engineering that doesn't have structural damage." "Sounds like the Force alone is keeping that part of the ship together." "That's not helping Chevacca" Grem couldn't help but sit there and laugh at what he overheard, he leaned over to R2 as if to whisper in his nonexistent ear "So this is how Jedi Master's should conduct themselves on missions, I don't remember them teaching that at the temple." The droid gave a confirming "Wheee-WhOoo!" "I hear ya!" Grem Agreed. "We should find the closest habitable place to set down and conduct repairs" Yoda finally broke the amusing verbal attacks on his confidence. "Grem anything on sensor?" Grem returned to his readouts once more, but what he discovered was peculiar. "That's strange?" "What is Padawan" questioned Master Oden. "Somehow we managed to find ourselves in an uncharted system, I'm going to boost the sensors and hopefully we can find a place to land." "R2." Master Skywalker injected "See if you can Help Grem find a planet." The eager R2-unit found his way to a interface terminal. Opened one of his many utility hatches, located all over his exterior, and extended a small interface latch. The Vurk and the droid worked together, and came to an equal conclusion. Grem glanced over to his tiny metal pal, and gave him a confirming nod. "I believe we found something!" He took another minute to go over the complete readout. "Well Grem, go on!" Saliv insisted for his Padawan to continue. "It's the fourth planet from this system's star, It's a storm- begotten planet covered entirely with water." "Any sign of a populace? "Chevacca pondered out loud. "No, but there do appear to be many large artificial structures suspended above the ocean." "Dorshe', See if you can use this information to find the location of their largest colony" Yoda requested to his navigator then began to prep that repulse engines. "Force be willing, we may be able to find shelter and make our repairs." "Just as long as we keep a certain, Jedi from the Engine room.!" Slyly remarked Saliv. "Shut-up" Yoda ordered as he cradled his head in is hand once more ."Master Oden, please make way to the Water-world before I throw someone out the nearest airlock!" Dorshe' did such, and the crippled Everlasting made her way to the unknown planet, but little did her crew know that they would be in for, more than they could ever expect.
"Stabilizing thrusters at maximum!" Master Skywalker shouted, bracing himself with his control console. Dorshe' quickly pounded the elevation control panel, so as not to waste a life clinging moment to get the ship back in balance. Then slowly but surely, the Everlasting, yielded, and placed itself in a level position, as if it made a difference in the empty abyss of space. "We're stationary Yoda." She stated taking in a deep breathe. "What happened, why did we leave hyperspace?" the young Grem expelled with a shocked curiosity, not caring much for courtesy this time around. Saliv's voices responded his Padawan's question. "Our star-thrust controller has malfunctioned, but how?" but then Master Romdel realized just how, "the Sith." "But the Sith villain couldn't have done anything to our hyperdrive, we checked Main engineering from top to bottom." But it was the Sith Somehow they new he had sabotaged the Everlasting without the Jedi knowing any better. "I'm going down to the Engineering deck, Dorshe' you have the Bridge!" "As you order!" she took a moment before he had stepped up to the exit-hatch. "Master Skywalker?" He turned and looked to the attractive Jedi master. "Yes, Master Oden?" He pointed his deep blue eyes to meet the wide silver eyes of Dorshe' Oden. "Try your best to leave Main engineering in one piece!" They shared a smirk, and Yoda then exited the Bridge. All that was said after that, before returning to their duties came from Chevacca's respectful quite roar. "Five credits, he blows a hole in portside!" Dorshe' brushed that thought away and began to take charge. She rotated her seat towards the view-screen in front of her as a sensation of danger came over her being. "Grem, are there any signs of a large group of ships in this system?" The blue Vurk looked down at his sensor console, he glanced between visual, and mathematical readouts. "I'm not picking up any ships in the area, I can't even identify this system as far as my readouts are. wait a minute." The young reptile increased his scanners to pick up the ion trails left by most ships, he was forced to confirm Master Oden's instincts. "I'm detecting about seven.no eight vessels, just behind a small moon less than a marsec from our current position." "Have they detected us yet Grem?" "No Master Oden, but I do believe they are waiting for us!" "How so young apprentice?" Chevacca prodded. "They are in a formation that would be classified as a standard ambush position" Saliv Romdel held a small smile on his face, the kind of smile a father would have for a son, who just learned how to sight a mathematical equation and then solve it all on his own. "Also their scanners our set in a perimeter encompassing the moons orbit. If we cross their perimeter, they will strike, that and I have a bad feeling about that moon!" "Very good Young Padawan" Dorshe's complement bringing a smile to Grem's face "Very good indeed!" Saliv added, looking his apprentice in the eye, only enhancing his student's wide smirk "What is our next course of action Master Oden?" the Wookiee's words filled minds of the three other Jedi. "I have an idea, but we are going to need to access the lifepod control subroutines. Chevacca, locate and hail Master Skywalker."
It didn't take long for Master Skywalker to reach Engineering deck. Using the force Yoda increased his speed immensely and in no time at all, he stood before the newly constructed entry hatch. Have Force, will travel! He thought to himself with only a hint of sarcasm. He tapped the access panel just to the left of the hatch, and the steel red wall. "Crngh-Hiss" the sound of the new but still defected door, filled Yoda's ears. He took no less than three steps until the hatch fell-shut with a great "Clunk!", as it gave in to its own weight. He looked for the malfunction, but brought his eyes down to find a tiny astromech, but not just any astromech, It was his faithful friend. "R2?" he was caught off guard by his presence. "Why aren't you in you recharge port?" he looked his metal companion square in the eye, that's when he new something was amiss. "R2, are you alright?" That's when the droid, sprung open the hatch to his laser emitters, this most definitely caught the Jedi master off guard. "Oh-oh!" The droid fired viscously, without emotion despite that fact that this was his Master. Yoda yanked his lightsabre from his belt, then ignited its green blade. He did his best to maneuver and deflect around the blasts without causing to much damage to the engineroom. Yoda jumped from level to level in the large metallic space, using the random fixtures to his advantage. Hanging from maintenance hatches, tossing loose parts from the prior event with the force in hopes of wounding the blue and white astromech. But the droid blasted them with sufficient ease. Poodoo! ,Yoda thought, why did I have to upgrade his targeting sensors too? But it wasn't until, Skywalker landed on a railing to the upper level, then he noticed the small blinking object on his beloved little friends dome. "A Manipulator!" so that's why R2 is attacking him, that explained why the Everlasting abruptly lost control, and fell out into normal space again. "The Sith must have done this to you my friend! He also used you to sabotage our ship. Well no longer!" Yoda jumped down, landing directly in front of the R2-unit once again. The droid shot once aimless blast toward the Jedi's shoulder while he took a moment to gather his circuits to attack him once more with full onslaught, but one shot was all Yoda needed. He raised his sabre in his right hand at an angle so as to deflect the first blast back at the droids' dome, just grazing his shell, but destroying the Manipulator. The astromech simply stood there for a minute. Frozen in time while the Manipulator's control subroutines washed away from R2's programming. Then as if to shake off a bad hangover. The droid rotated his dome from right to left, and proceeded to conceal his weapons back into his shell. "Feeling better R2?" The little robot, reluctantly responded. "Beeperooo!" "Well good, just be thankful no one was hurt, any idea what you did to the Hype." the dark blonde Jedi was caught off by Dorshe's familiar voice, projected via the Everlasting's internal comm. system. "Is everything alright down there Master Skywalker, we detected laser fire in Main engineering." "Situation under control Dorshe', the Sith planted a Manipulator on R2, and he lost control of himself." "Is he okay" Master Oden knowing very well how much that droid meant to Yoda, let alone how R2 stood as a testament to immortality. "He's fine now just, just a couple scrapes and bruises." He chuckled as he padded R2-D2 on his new battle scar. "Anything else Master Dorshe'?" "Unfortunately." She switched from concern for R2 and to the matter at hand. "On the other side of a moon, about a marsec away from our current position, there is a fleet consisting of eight varying ships. Master Romdel believes them to be a small fleet of smugglers and his Padawan believes they are preparing to ambush us." Master Skywalker looked up at the nearest ceiling as if he expected Dorshe' to be there and see his confused expression. "So why don't we just leave the system at repulse until we get the Hyperdrive repaired?" "Grem believes that if we show any sign, that we know the smugglers position. They would come after us any way." Skywalker took a moment to admire the student's obvious observation. "Any plans, as to how we should handle this threat?" "Yes, but you will need to make your way to back to the bridge, we will need to use the force together in order to accomplish this. Skywalker replied understanding what Dorshe' truly meant. "Understood I will be there in a moment, Yoda out!" He turned to R2, shooting him a cocked eyebrow. "Come you, no telling what other kinds of trouble you could land yourself into alone." The droid returned with a grumbling whistle. "Lets go, R2!" Yoda ordered and R2 leaned back on the axis connecting his body an his two legs, and released a third leg from the bottom of his round torso, and then elevated himself on the three wheels which were contained in those limbs. Then eagerly followed his master to all the excitement.
* * *
Mortep stood there on the Bridge of the "Lucky Bantha", Arguing to the holo-projection of his employer, Jiles Oiket now dawned in his more comforting black robes. "I understand what we're being paid to do!" Mortep pulled out a rustic old touch panel, and read from his contract placed on its cracked screen. ".when encountering the Jedi- cruiser 'Everlasting', upon its arrival in the The Kamino systemsystem. The combined fleet-for-hire, headed by Mortep Kuga, are under the direct orders of its employer to destroy the ship by any means necessary, under the strict parameters that the Everlasting's destruction look accidental." The life-size hologram stared back at Mortep with a confused look. "Yes? So what else do you wish for?" "More money!" The large Weequay demanded. "More money! This fleet has been hiding behind this moon in this lost star-system, for over three days!" "I assure the Jedi-ship should be appearing on your sensors soon." "Forget the Jedi, as far as I'm concerned I don't give the order to fire, on any ship until I, and my crew get paid!" He stood closer to the Holo-projection, piercing the eyes of the artificial Jiles. Almost as if, by intimidation, he would actually hand Mortep ,his money. Jiles was unbroken with his arms crossed, he seemed as if he were going the respond to Mortep's threat, but his transmission was cut off. "Aahg, Rancor's Hide!, Platog! We lost the communi." he was cut off by the reactivation of the Holo-projector. Only this time it wasn't Jiles's image that emanated from the machine. Instead it was the image of a small cloaked figure, a female figure from what Mortep could tell by the sight of her uncovered hands. "Who Daf's name are you?" Mortep spitefully grunted. "I'm your true employer" She said seductively. "Well good then, maybe you can help me wit." "Maybe you can do as your ordered!" She threw back in his face. "If I paid you for anything else useful, besides destroying the Jedi. Then you would be right here, scrubbing my windows!" Her eyes began to burn red with anger even that Projected through the image. "Now just do as our contract dictates, and we will talk about any other financial issues once you have completed your job. Unless you prefer to spend the rest of your days washing transparent steel! then." "No, no I will follow my contract to its end!" he injected before the dark woman went any farther. "Good, I will await my pupil's report once you inform him of the Jedi's unfortunate demise." The holo-projector, shut off, and Mortep took a deep breath in. it was only a projection! He thought. But I still felt like I met death, even I'm not stupid enough to deny death.
"Platog, hail the other ships!, tell them to break orbit. The ambush is on, we are going to hunt down those Jedi!" "Aye-Aye! Mortep." the eager to please Dug, tapped the controls to signal the other ship's with Mortep's orders. That's when the Lucky- Bantha's scanners picked up a signature. "Mortep, I'm picking something up on the sensors." "Is it the Everlasting?" "I' don't think so? Its far to small, and moving incredibly fast, and its being followed by several other, similar objects at equal pace." "Well then what are they?" Mortep grew impatient. "I don't know."Platog's eyes widened. "but they are heading straight for us, on an impact course!" Mortep tapped a panel on his command chair behind him. "All hands! Brace for." Mortep was knocked off balance by an explosion from the deck below and sent careening into his command chair. Eventually meeting his face to the floor, only to be interrupted by the sound of Platog's groggy voice. "Mortep, scanners are down." Platog now sitting back in his chair, utilizing all four of his limbs.".Along with communications, we are separated from the rest fleet." "Forget about the fleet for now!" He injected. "what hit us?" The dug looked down at the sensor readout just before the impact. "From, what I can gather, anything from a proton pulse, to an asteroid." "Is the View-screen operational?" Mortep asked as he collected himself into his command chair. "Barely." He puffed. "Give me what you have then!" Mortep would regret those words. For what he saw made him wish they were bombarded by asteroids. "A republic fleet!" he quenched. Then Mortep counted his opposition. three Destroyers, four Battleships, and one Dreadnaught. "A Dreadnaught?" His fleet of smuggler's were no match for the Republic Dreadnaught alone. "Do we have shields or weapons?" How the Weequay could even think of going against this was idiotic to begin with. "No, but if we leave soon we still might have our hyperdrive before they can fire another bombardment!" Platog not even bothering to hint at the distress of the trap they nursed themselves into. "Fine! Set course for the Umgul sector. If the others know what's good for them. They'd best meet back at to rendezvous point." Mortep looked out the view screen once more, and he couldn't help but wonder how the Republic fleet had found them out. "Engage!" and with that said the Lucky-Bantha disappeared into the stars.
Grem overlooked the senor readouts that appeared on the screen in front of him, then over to the visual display. The lead ship had left that was a good start but would the others.wait yes! He thought in jubilation, their plan worked. All the smuggler ships had been scared away from the system. Master Dorshe's scheme had succeeded. While Grem launched the lifepods from the Everlastings's hull with Sensor beacons inside each of the tiny crafts, to fool the smuggler's scanners. Master Saliv and the others would combine their powers and mask the lifepods as a different battleship then projecting those images into their minds. Then through careful aim, and the Force's guidance, Grem would use the Everlastings proton emitters to knock out each of the enemies sensors from a distance so as to not give their clever rouse away. The Vurk turned his chair round to find the four Jedi masters still entranced in deep meditation at their seats. He also found Master Skywalker's legendary droid, R2-D2 manning the ships power distribution network so as not to be detected by the enemy fleet. It was inspiring to see that astromech. When he was a young boy, before even going to the Temple to learn the ways of the Force, Grem Venad remembered the times his father would tell stories of great adventures, and even greater heroes: Obi-Wan Kenobi, General during the Clone wars. Luke Skywalker, Hero of the Rebellion and Savior of the Jedi. Wedge Antilles, Commander-an-chief of the War against the Yuuzhan Vong. Chewbacca Great Wookiee Warrior till the end. Jaquel Oden the First Jedi to settle a full scale intergalactic war without once igniting his lightsabre. R2-D2 small droid with the heart of a larger than most real beings. Along with his companion, the equally aged protocol droid C-3PO, they lived through Great wars, and even greater times of peace. Grem had met so many of these heroes' decedents, but never the actual hero. He was in aw, he forgot he was staring at the astromech. R2 pivoted his dome towards the star stung reptile, and his eye meet Grem's eyes. the tall blue being sat up in his chair, as if it were his first day at the Temple, learning good posture all over again. The blue-white robot waddled his way over to Grem, then spewed a small eight by eleven sheet of paper from an open slit in his steel torso. The Jedi Padawan raised his brow in confusion, but R2 whistled encouragingly, almost as if to say: 'Go on!, take it!' and he did just that. Taking the paper with both of his three fingered hands, Grem flipped it over, too discover that in fact it was a picture of R2, with an inscription that read. "To my new friend, Grem Venad." the apprentice recited out loud. ".May the Force be with you, good luck becoming a Knight, at this rate. You will be on the High Council in no time! Your buddy, R2-D2." He ended with a chuckle. "My Papo's stories told nothing of you being a comedian." He remarked. "Thank you R2, I will treasure this gift." "He means it too you know!" replied a drowsy Yoda Skywalker staring at the beseeched student and his new friend. "When R2 makes a friend, he means it!" The confirming thought pleased Grem, it even brought a warm feeling to his hearts to hear again. "Now I take it our trick was a success?" master Skywalker asked an unnecessary question. "With all do respect Master Skywalker!" The other Masters on the Bridge began to return to consciousness. "but if the trick didn't work, not only would you still be attuned to the Force, you'd be one with it!" this small display of humor on the usually well ground Padawan, brought all of the other Jedi out of their sleepy state, and into another full of laughter." "So your apprentice can tell a joke, Saliv." Chevacca's thoughts now reentered their minds. "Wonder where he got it from?" added Master Oden. This caused even R2 to hoot, but they had a mission to accomplish and Master Skywalker knew it could not last for ever. "Alright everyone, lets return to the our tasks at hand." "Buzzkill!" Dorshe' remarked with sarcasm. "What is our current status?" Grem took R2's picture and neatly placed it in his tunic and looked over his sensor readouts once more. "All enemy craft have left the system, and there are currently nine of original fifteen lifepods floating in open space." Grem stated with a smile still present on his blue face. "I concur, nothing but background noise and the homing beacons on all frequencies" Chevacca answered, before Dorshe' "Hyperdrive is still down, preparing to dispense all remaining astromechs to begin repairing" She glanced over to Skywalker. "Again!" she stated clearly and directly towards the responsible party. "Not possible." interrupted Master Romdel. "Power distribution to the recharge ports has been cut, do to internal damage." "Great!" Yoda mumbled with a hand covering his bearded face. "What was I suppose to do! Let R2 blast me to pieces?" "Well at least you could have stayed in one spot." Saliv added. "from what my readouts tell me their isn't cubic one meter of Main Engineering that doesn't have structural damage." "Sounds like the Force alone is keeping that part of the ship together." "That's not helping Chevacca" Grem couldn't help but sit there and laugh at what he overheard, he leaned over to R2 as if to whisper in his nonexistent ear "So this is how Jedi Master's should conduct themselves on missions, I don't remember them teaching that at the temple." The droid gave a confirming "Wheee-WhOoo!" "I hear ya!" Grem Agreed. "We should find the closest habitable place to set down and conduct repairs" Yoda finally broke the amusing verbal attacks on his confidence. "Grem anything on sensor?" Grem returned to his readouts once more, but what he discovered was peculiar. "That's strange?" "What is Padawan" questioned Master Oden. "Somehow we managed to find ourselves in an uncharted system, I'm going to boost the sensors and hopefully we can find a place to land." "R2." Master Skywalker injected "See if you can Help Grem find a planet." The eager R2-unit found his way to a interface terminal. Opened one of his many utility hatches, located all over his exterior, and extended a small interface latch. The Vurk and the droid worked together, and came to an equal conclusion. Grem glanced over to his tiny metal pal, and gave him a confirming nod. "I believe we found something!" He took another minute to go over the complete readout. "Well Grem, go on!" Saliv insisted for his Padawan to continue. "It's the fourth planet from this system's star, It's a storm- begotten planet covered entirely with water." "Any sign of a populace? "Chevacca pondered out loud. "No, but there do appear to be many large artificial structures suspended above the ocean." "Dorshe', See if you can use this information to find the location of their largest colony" Yoda requested to his navigator then began to prep that repulse engines. "Force be willing, we may be able to find shelter and make our repairs." "Just as long as we keep a certain, Jedi from the Engine room.!" Slyly remarked Saliv. "Shut-up" Yoda ordered as he cradled his head in is hand once more ."Master Oden, please make way to the Water-world before I throw someone out the nearest airlock!" Dorshe' did such, and the crippled Everlasting made her way to the unknown planet, but little did her crew know that they would be in for, more than they could ever expect.