Chapter 2 – Stranded!
It took Biggs and Charii all night and part of the next morning to make the ship whole again. The vessel turned out to be bigger than a fighter and not much smaller than Charii's old ship, the Lady Diver. Clearly very old and ready for the scrap heap, it must have been shoved aside and forgotten by the rebels when they moved bases. But the engines were intact and it seemed to have a sound body frame and hull plating. The comm system had been ripped out, obviously needed in another ship when the rebels had abandoned the base. They'd just have to be careful when they reached Yavin 4 and fly very friendly. It would have to do.
Biggs took it for a test flight, hovering it out of the hangar and circling the area several times until he was sure all the controls worked as they should. Charii looked on from the ground, watching Biggs fly the ship about. She smiled as she watched. Even test flying, he was smooth and elegant in all his manoeuvres.
Finally he touched down, satisfied that the ship was sound enough for flight. He beckoned Charii from the cockpit window and she hastily climbed aboard. She sealed the hatch behind her and made her way through the small four seater cabin and sat beside Biggs in the cockpit, strapping herself in.
Before Biggs took off, Charii asked him, "What should we call her? All ships need a name, even this old girl."
"I'm not sure," he replied, "Did you have something in mind?"
Charii looked out from the cockpit in the direction of her old ship's remains. "She's our only remaining hope, so I'd like to call her Hope Remains." When Biggs looked at her sideways, she replied, "Can you think of anything better?"
Biggs smiled. "No I can't. Hope Remains it is!" And with that he lifted off and they flew steadily higher and higher into the sky.
{-O-}
Hope Remains performed admirably for the first part of their journey. She was steady in the atmosphere without being particularly fast and when they eventually broke free into the vacuum of space, she was more than adequate, accelerating steadily up to sub-light speed at a reasonable rate.
Biggs flew her away from Dantooine, remembering the battle he, Charii and Jobe had fought against the Imperial Scout, Fierce in this very sector only a few, but very long, days ago.
The flight computer signalled that their jump point was quickly approaching. Biggs took them on a steady course towards the co-ordinates and activated their hyperdrive. The ship leapt out of normal space and jumped into hyper speed, leaving Dantooine as a distant point far behind them
But unseen to Biggs and Charii, a small trail of particles also lingered behind them, fallen from their engines.
The ship shuddered as it sped between the stars. Biggs and Charii could feel the vibration through their flight seats and they looked at each other nervously. The stars looked ragged as they sped by. Not the long, straight lines that they were accustomed to seeing, but more like dotted lines.
The vibration increased alarmingly as they flew through hyperspace. Biggs tried to say something to Charii, but his voice was both badly distorted and drowned out by the sounds of the ship jolting and kicking about them. He pointed to a control gauge on their console, but Charii could not make out what it read. Finally Biggs grabbed the hyper drive controls and slammed them back into their off position. The ship made one more violent shudder and popped out of hyperspace.
They each took a moment to catch their breath, then Charii asked, "What happened, Biggs?"
"I guess our hyperdrive isn't as healthy as I assumed it was. Blast it, I should have checked it before we jumped!" Biggs cursed.
"Don't blame yourself, Biggs. It's a miracle this ship flies at all," Charii said.
Biggs looked at her and replied, "I think it will take a miracle to make her fly again. Look at the console. The hyper drive is overheated, probably fused. And I'll bet the only way to access it is from outside the ship."
"Do we have any breathing equipment?" Charii asked.
Biggs hung his head, "No. The normal emergency equipment had been removed; I guess when they scrapped the ship. Blast it!" He sat there a moment, pondering his options while Charii queried the ship's computer.
She looked up after a while and said, "It looks like we are about two light years from the nearest system. Do you think we can coax the ship to jump that far?"
"That's not too far, it's worth a try!" Biggs responded. "Lay in a course, Charii. And keep your finger's crossed!"
Charii gave him a peculiar look, "Why would I cross my fingers?" she asked then finished plotting the course.
He smiled, "Never mind. It's just for luck." With that he activated the hyper drive, "Brace yourself!" And the ship lurched forward violently... and stopped. Dead. A moment later they heard a distinctly disheartening sound. Like a death cry, but metallic and very, very final.
"That didn't sound good, Biggs," Charii observed.
"No. No, it didn't," Biggs agreed.
"Maybe I should have 'crossed my fingers' after all," Charii said quietly.
{-O-}
They spent the next couple of hours arguing with the ship's computer, ripping off access panels, jury rigging control cabling, anything they could think of to make the ship work again. But without access to the hyper drive and the necessary spare parts, it was all for nothing.
"I'm sorry, Charii. It's no good. The hyper drive is totally shot. We're stranded here. And no comms system to call for help." Biggs hung his head, clearly becoming distraught. Charii sat quietly beside him. And the Hope Remains drifted silently in the void between the stars.
Not looking up, Biggs went on, "I figure we have about two months supply of oxygen. Recycled, it could probably last a year. But we have no food and only a little water. We'll starve to death well before then."
Charii asked, "Do the sub light engines still work?"
Biggs chuckled mirthlessly, "Yes, but they won't do us much good this far from a star system. It'd take us years to get there."
"How many?" Charii persevered.
Biggs looked up wonderingly and did some quick calculations in his head, "I'm not sure. We couldn't run at full power. The fusion generators would only last a small time at that level. So about twenty years I would think. Why? What do you have in mind?"
And Charii held out the small, spherical artifact. Her family heirloom.
"We can use this!" and she looked expectantly as Biggs. She could see him puzzling out her suggestion until it finally dawned on him.
"Assuming it does what we think it does, you're suggesting we accelerate through time as the ship flies at sub light speed to that star system." He sat a moment as it really sunk in, "Charii, that's brilliant, but we'll lose that twenty years to everyone else! All our friends and family will be that much older. They'll think we're dead!" He paused a moment longer, "The rebellion will be over. Or crushed..."
Charii put her hand on his leg, "I know, Biggs. But what choice do we have? You said it yourself, we'll be dead if we just stay here. At least this way we'll survive." She paused, "Hope remains..." and smiled awkwardly.
They sat staring at each other; staring out the cockpit at the inky blackness of space; staring at the object in Charii's hands. It was a big decision. One that would affect their lives and those of their friends. Possibly even the outcome of the rebellion itself.
"All right. Let's do it," Biggs agreed and sighed heavily.
So they programmed the ship to fly toward the system nearest them. An agricultural world named Bolraan was listed there. Low population, low traffic. A world that produced farm goods for the local sector. Probably inhabited by a few farmers, mechanoids and harvesting machines.
Twenty years, thought Biggs. Luke will be an old man when I see him again! He shook himself. Don't think about it, Darklighter.
As the ship set off on its long, slow journey, Biggs and Charii both held the object in their hands. Biggs tried to do as they had done accidentally the first time, and twist the top in a clockwise motion. It 'clicked' internally as he did so. But this time there were no flashing lights, although he did think the stars looked a little different. So he twisted the top further still, assuming it affected the rate of 'travel'. It worked. The stars blurred about them and it was obvious they were moving rapidly... in time.
Concentrating on the view ahead, Biggs watched as one point of light grew ever brighter and larger. Oddly enough, other stars not immediately ahead of them flared and vanished from sight. What happened to them? Why would they disappear? But the star they flew towards remained, growing and growing. In fact, it grew so large he had barely a moment in which to quickly twist the top back to its rest position. It wouldn't twist any further back. No going back I guess, thought Biggs. In that last moment, from the corner of his eye he saw three ghostly figures. Just like the first time. They seemed to be floating in the rear of the ship, but as quickly as before they vanished, leaving him wondering just what was going on.
The planet Bolraan hung above them, dominating their view. They'd made it. Twenty years lost, but they'd made it. To them it had taken mere moments, but the rest of the universe had aged twenty years. I wonder what's changed, Biggs thought.
{-O-}
Two dark figures, sitting on either side of a long ebony table in a huge hall, looked up at each other, sensing something significant had happened. Both sensitive to the Force, albeit the Dark Side, they felt the eerie magic disrupted about them; through them; within them. It felt as a ripple coursing through the cosmos. Almost physically tangible to their heightened senses; overpowering.
The first, a woman of middle age dressed all in black but with white, pallid skin spoke to the other, "My Master, I feel something... odd has happened. Large; significant. Hmmm, powerful." The last word made her eyes light up greedily.
The other, a once tall, imposing figure who now relied heavily on the machine in which he sat waited a moment before replying. His voice was deep, though raspy with age and partially drowned out by the machine that supplied his life functions. "Yes, I felt it. Very powerful. And potentially useful." He paused a moment, either thinking or waiting to gain his breath, the woman could not tell. "You will investigate this disturbance and return the source of the power to me."
Standing up slowly, the woman bowed slightly to her Master. "Yes, my Master." And she turned and left, a wicked smile splitting across her gaunt face.
{-O-}
Biggs and Charii sat a moment in awe of what they'd done, until the ship started sounding an alarm. Collision imminent! Vessel on direct course!
Biggs quickly grabbed the controls and span the ship about just as another craft appeared before them... and another... and another! So many ships! He finally got them to a safe area, but there were so many space craft about he could barely find anywhere to go.
"Why so many ships?" Charii asked. "For a farming world, it seems awfully busy."
Biggs stared at his control panel as the computer assessed his immediate surroundings. Looking up he told Charii, "It says there are hundreds of ships here. Could even be over a thousand!" He piloted them about, looking at the closer vessels. They seemed old and in disrepair, but clearly in use. A few even seemed to be docked together in twos or threes. Very odd.
"Well, we can't get the answer here. No way to communicate with anyone. Let's head down to the surface and find out, shall we?"
And they flew down to the planet's surface, hoping they wouldn't get shot down for not obeying the local space traffic control. But no-one shot at them. In fact, there didn't seem to be much in the way of control at all. Several times Biggs had to divert his course to avoid craft flying up from the planet and others flying rapidly down. It was just chaos.
Flying across the planet's surface, they first thing they noticed was the distinct lack of farmland. Sure, there were fields and machines harvesting them, but normally these worlds are almost one hundred percent farm land. Here on Bolraan it looked like it had no more than fifty percent agriculture. Everywhere else looked to be either makeshift housing, or spaceship landing areas.
Biggs took them towards a larger 'town' and landed the Hope Remains on the outskirts of one of the landing areas. Not far away an open market was in progress. A good place to find some information, they thought. Even from afar, they could tell it was a dirty place, with flies and fly-like creatures buzzing about everywhere. Some of the better market stalls had awnings to protect the merchants and customers from the warmth of the midday sun, but most were in the open, exposed to the elements.
They left the Hope and ambled casually into the market, trying not to attract too much attention. But their flight suits stood out, and with no change of clothes available, they just had to grin and bare it until they could find some suitable replacements.
As they shopped for clothes, Biggs and Charii casually asked questions of the sellers and other buyers, trying to get a feel of what had happened in the last two decades. It didn't take long to discover that the rebellion had failed, and the Empire was still in power and even more oppressive than ever. Biggs was not surprised, but still disheartened.
They found suitable clothing, purchased it and changed quickly in the small, flimsy partitions supplied by the merchants, bundling their flight suits into a small carry pack. They admired each other in their new, drab apparel and continued on their way.
Another thing they noticed was that people were scared. Not just a little. Some were downright terrified. Any mention of the Empire made some cringe involuntarily, while others immediately stopped talking to them and rushed away. Some even got hostile and threatened to blast them if they kept asking questions!
It finally got to the point where they could gain no more intelligence. Word must have spread fast of the strangers asking questions. As they approached the merchants, they now turned their backs on the couple and pretended they didn't exist while more and more buyers gave them nasty looks and even spat at their feet.
They quickly learned to stop asking too many questions, and the merchants and customers eventually returned to their 'normal' selves. But it did Biggs and Charii little good.
"Not a very friendly place, is it Biggs?" noted Charii. "Things must have really gotten bad while we were 'away'."
Biggs was about to reply when he thought he noticed a man staring at them; a man he'd seen earlier at a different stall. Suspicious, he thought. But the man casually walked in another direction and Biggs had to shrug. "Yes, it's pretty bad, Charii. The Empire must have really tightened the screws in the last twenty years. I wonder what became of the Rebellion?"
Someone overheard him nearby, and turned and stared; a woman with a look of horror and distress crossing her face. You could almost see the scream building in her mouth. Biggs knew he'd made a mistake and tried to hustle Charii and himself away from the woman before it was too late. But just at that moment, the man Biggs had spotted a moment earlier stood between them and the woman and pushed them insistently towards a covered stall filled with electronic goods and various bits and pieces. Even a droid or two stood immobile beneath the awning with the highest price tags of any of the goods they'd seen so far. A sign reading 'Jaak Tiberian Bargain House' flapped in the wind above their heads.
"I think you good people might be interested in buying a droid from me, no?" the man, obviously Jaak Tiberian himself, muttered to them in a strange, alien accent. "I'll do you a deal, I will. A good deal... for me, safe for you, no?"
Charii waved at the man in the negative style she'd seen others doing when they weren't interested. "We can't afford a droid, nor do we want one," she stated.
But Tiberian was non-plussed. "Oh, but I must insist," he sneered in reply. "If one asks of the Rebellion," and he barely whispered the word, "one must pay top credits or, perhaps, the troopers over there will come calling for you... no?"
The threat was all too obvious. And indeed, there was a small squad of stormtroopers not far away. The armour and the officer's uniform had changed some since they'd last encountered any, but it was still very obvious to Biggs and Charii who they were.
As they stood there deciding what they could do, Jaak Tiberian made it very obvious that he was attempting to make eye contact with the Imperial Officer in charge of the stormtroopers. Biggs quickly stood in front of the sleazy merchant and tried to negotiate a cheaper price for one of the droids.
It didn't take long before they had agreed on a price. An exorbitant one for the old farm droid Biggs had pointed out, but every time he had tried to go too low, Tiberian had stepped a little to one side and looked at the squad. It was clear he couldn't win, so Biggs acquiesced and handed over his credits.
The trader looked at them a moment and said, "The credits are old, friend. They look like they were issued back during the first Emperor's time." But he took them readily enough.
"First Emperor?" Charii whispered to Biggs as the merchant deactivated the restraining bolt from the farm droid and quickly dusted it off. "Who do you think is Emperor now?"
But before Biggs could reply, Jaak announced, "Here he is! LK-30 he's called. But I believe he was named 'Leaky' by his last owner." And he hustled the robot towards the couple. Having got his credits, the merchant was now clearly a happy man and much more friendly. Even his voice had changed. "A pleasure doing the business with you, madam and sir," and he bowed slightly. "Come back soon and asked for Jaak Tiberian. I have good source of labour droids here. Many spare parts."
The robot lead the way from the merchant's stall. A tall droid with wide shoulders, clearly built for heavy labour, but just as clearly very old and somewhat stiff in the joints, it walked ahead of them in the direction Biggs had pointed it, towards their ship. Biggs and Charii followed in its wake as people tended to move out of its way as it slowly made its way through the marketplace.
"So we now own a droid," Charii said, amused. "And a big one, too." Biggs laughed quietly with her. She asked, "Why 'Leaky'? That's a funny name."
"Yes, ma'am," he said in a deep, and oddly refined manner. "As Mr. Tiberian pointed out, I am designated LK-30, although my full designation is LK-30-GRG-9. I prefer my last name, George, if that is not too much trouble. Leaky is so... undignified."
"George it is then," Charii replied happily. "And we are Biggs and Charii."
George paused a moment to bow slightly to them, then continued on his way towards the ship. "A pleasure to serve you, Sir and Madam."
Biggs tapped the big droid lightly on its shoulder, causing a small shower of surface rust to drift before him. "George? We're going to go buy some provisions with the little money we have left. Can you make your own way to our ship? It's the old light grey one over there." And he pointed it out.
"Certainly, Sir" And he ambled across the market, the people moving cautiously out of his way as he swayed back and forth.
"Just how much did George cost us, Biggs?" Charii asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But we'll be ok. For now. We just need to watch ourselves in future.
Charii laughed, "'In future'. That's where we are all right."
"Very funny." Biggs gave her a small smirk. "Now lets get some food. I feel like I haven't eaten in years." As he said it, he raised a hand to stop Charii from replying. "And yes, I know technically, we haven't eaten in twenty years..."
They both laughed and went in search of food.
{-O-}
As the two friends walked off hand in hand back into the centre of the market place, a small hooded figure watched on from beside a wine merchant's table. He let them go far enough in before pretending to finish the drink he was holding, and tossed a small credit token onto the table and followed after them
He trailed them from vendor to vendor, keeping a discreet distance from them at all times. His small size and unremarkable clothing made him difficult to spot and he was certain they knew nothing of his presence. Gaining confidence, he now came a little closer to them, almost within hearing distance of their quiet conversation. He listened in while he pretended to test the firmness of some local fruits on display. The chatter was bland and uninteresting. Not like before when he'd heard them drop the "R" word and that woman had almost screamed. Luckily that merchant, Jaak Tiberian and his greedy little con job had saved him from having to do something himself and blow his cover. He'd watched "Jake the Snake" operate before and knew he'd never really hand over someone to the troopers. Not when they had credits he could scam off them. But still, you could never be too sure, so he'd had a plan of his own... just in case.
Distracted a moment by the fruit seller who wanted him to buy something and not just squeeze his merchandise, he lost sight of the tall moustached man and his purple haired companion. He cursed himself for being lapse, and quickly surveyed the area... only to find the man and woman standing right behind him, looking down at him with two concealed blasters poking out from each of their respective cloaks.
"Okay, friend," said Biggs, "You've been following us for long enough. I've already been swindled once today, I'm not about to let you do it to me a second time."
The little creature looked up at Biggs, astounded that he'd been caught. He was as short as a Jawa, but bulkier and with yellow skin and sunken eyes. A race Biggs had never seen before, but there were plenty of those. "I, um. I'm impressed. Thought you had no idea I was watching you."
Biggs shrugged in the direction of Charii, "You can thank the young lady for that, she noticed you some time back. Just how long have you been following us, anyway?" And Biggs waggled his pistol slightly to show he really wanted to know.
The little man ignored the gun. He'd seen all too many in his life. "Long enough to know you have rebellion in your heart. Am I right?"
Biggs rolled his eyes, "Now look, I'm not about to let you turn us over to the Empire. We're pretty much broke after buying that droid and this food, so it's hardly worth the threat, now is it?"
The creature held up a hand, "You misunderstand me, my friend. I don't seek your money. I was about to approach you anyway, before your lovely lady friend caught me spying on you." And he inclined his head to Charii. He was a good spy, so she must be as good an observer to have seen him. A talent.
Charii declined to bow in return, but asked, "So just what do you want from us, then?"
He looked from side to side and said, "I think we should discuss this in a more private forum. I'm not the only 'watcher' around, to be sure. Some are a little more Imperial than I, I'm certain. Come with me, if you will." He added, "I promise my friends don't wear white armour or grey uniforms." When he saw them hesitate he pointed in the direction of their ship, now just visible through the thinning crowds.
Biggs and Charii could see another squad of stormtroopers standing about the Hope Remains. He couldn't tell if they were deliberately surrounding it, or they just happened to be there. Blast it, thought Biggs.
"Okay, we'll come," he agreed. "But we know how to use these." And he waved his blaster again.
The little man grinned back at them and said nothing, just lead them back into the crowd. It was getting late in the afternoon and the merchants were starting to close up for the day. It made it much easier to navigate through the market, but it also made them stand out more. They quickened their pace.
Before too long they had reached the outskirts of the township proper. Larger warehouses dominated this part of town, but they seemed to be mostly inhabited by otherwise homeless people and families. Strange to see so many people living in such huge buildings. They could see tents erected inside the buildings, and seemingly temporary walls of scrap metal and plastic divided others. Everyone was trying to have their own little portion of privacy. It didn't looked like it worked well, though.
Charii couldn't restrain herself from asking the little man, "Why are their so many people here? This is a farming world... or was. What's going on?"
With fewer people in their immediate area, the creature replied, "It's the way of things everywhere, now. So many transients and refugees, even these agricultural worlds are feeling the pressure. With fewer and fewer worlds to live on, it's to be expected, I guess. But you're from off world, surely you've seen this before?"
Biggs answered for them both, "We've been... away."
"I see," he replied, but he clearly did not. And said no more until they finally reached the building he had been taking them to.
As they approached the side door, picking their way through four or five families lying on the ground nearby, they were approached by two large men, or creatures that looked vaguely like men, who made it obvious that they were not allowed entrance. But their small guide whispered something into one of their ears, or ear orifices, and they were permitted to go to the door and enter.
In the gloomy interior, with the door shut behind them, the little man turned to them and said, "Welcome to Rebel Headquarters."
{-O-}