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"So the bounty hunters failed?"

"I'm afraid so brother"

"Typical, trusting humans for a retrieval mission, what honor is there in making others do your own dirty work?"

"None, but brother we cannot reveal ourselves just yet, you know what happened five years ago yes?"

"Hm, the incident where the empire accidentally found one of our bases, we lost a brother that day but The Arbiter killed them all and we retreated"

"We cannot risk something like that again, it'll compromise our siblings safety, sending out those bounty hunters was risky, but what's even more risky is having those brutes find the Huragok first"

"I understand brother"

"We'll get it back, I promise"

"I know we will, but I'm not sure it's a bright idea to use human bounty hunters"

"If they don't prevail then we will step in, I'm sure they won't be much of a match against us"

"I'm sure they won't be…"

"Good, now let's go talk with our failures"

"Ha, failures"

Stardestroyer, "The Thorn"

Admiral Parker stared down at General Harpy, raising an eyebrow. "You're still going on about that old story" he pushed a button on the hologram table in the meeting room to turn off the blurry figure of the odd swordsman. "It was five years ago Harpy, they since called off all investigations, you'll be killed if they find out you have a copy"

"I know," General Harpy responded, looking at the table before backing up, looking at the Admiral. "But I'd like to know what actually happened on Hoth, the location is still available and I'd like to go investigate the crime scene myself one day" he paused. "You won't tell anyone I still have this right?"

Admiral Parker sighed, shaking his head. "I won't," he confirmed. "But you'll get into a lot of trouble if someone does decide to tattle on you" he chuckled. "I can already imagine Darth Vader choking you through a holographic screen."

General Harpy cringed and frantically shook his head. "Oh please don't put that image in my head" he rubbed his face for a moment, looking back up. "Darth Vader is terrifying, I'm just glad he's not on this ship, probably never will be"

"About that…"

General Harpy tensed. "What do you mean Park- Admiral Parker?" He had always been used to saying Parker's name without the Admiral saying that the word slipped from his mouth, Parker pretended not to notice. "He's not coming here is he?"

Admiral Parker cleared his throat. "I'm afraid we're coming to him, earlier I had to change direction with the ship in hyperspace since we're going to be meeting up with The Executor, Vader's flagship instead of the fleet" he gave an apologetic look. "Best keep that copy hidden in your room"

General Harpy sputtered. "B-But why? Were we ordered too?" That earned a nod from the Admiral, something clicked in his head. "It's about that creature that showed up on this ship isn't it? I knew we should've gotten rid of it the moment we found the thing"

"The troopers have started calling it NBT-"

"Who cares? They're stormtroopers they don't get a say in the name or what happens to it" General Harpy fired back, but quickly backed down due to the sharp look from Admiral Parker.

"I suggest you watch that tone when you're in front of Lord Vader, you would be killed if he found it offending" Parker snapped. "Be lucky I'm more patient with you than the rest of the empire would ever be, understood?"

Harpy swallowed with a nod. "Understood, Admiral" he responded, before grabbing a device, taking it out of the table he stuffed it in his pocket and left the room when Parker dismissed him.

Parker sighed and rubbed his forehead, while he agreed that they should've gotten rid of the creature when it first appeared on the ship, he wasn't too fond of the idea of paying Darth Vader a visit. He's heard the stories of what happens when you fail the Dark Lord and death seems to follow wherever the man went. "This is going to be a long day" he mumbled to himself, it wasn't that he was fearful, just uncertain.

In the cafeteria, an hour after

The trio of stormtroopers sat at a round table, two of the three had their helmets off. Obviously the two with helmets by their sides were TK-117 and TK-199, they both had messy helmet hair, with 117s being light brown with emerald eyes, adding onto that a stubbled chin and 199 who has dirty blonde hair, a scar blinding his left eye and a brown eye. 178 sat there, preferring to have his helmet on around others. "I don't know if I'll be prepared if the Admiral decided to get rid of NBT" 117 mumbled as he bit into his sandwich. "I mean, we've only known them for what- three days? Or was it hours" that earned him a shrug. "Oh well- I'm saying I'm starting to get attached to the stinky bastard"

A nod from 178, 199 glanced up to respond. "I feel like NBT is attached to us" he awkwardly thought back to the moment NBT stuck with the small team even after they finished with numerous repair tasks. Only way to get rid of 'em was to let the engineer hang out with the Medic. He remembered the name the bounty hunters called NBT, 'engineer' was a rather strange, unique name for a specific species though wasn't it?

"I feel kinda bad for MT" 117 laughed. "NBT was taking apart his armor when we left, while he was still in it" he shivered, remembering the time NBT did the same to him. "Very unpleasant"

"You think he's done it, Commander yet?"

"Doubtful, NBT would probably be dead if they tried to take apart Commander Watch's armor, dudes a real stick in the mud"

199 chuckled. "You'd be eating the mud if the Commander caught you saying that L- 117" he only got a shrug from the other Trooper, they didn't notice his slipup. It's not the right time to reveal names just yet, plus they were heavily classified.

"The commander isn't always around to hear what I say about him half the time" 117 waved his hand dismissively. "So I doubt I'll be eating the ground anytime soon" he put his arm on the table. "By the way, did you see General Harpy when we were coming to the Caf?"

"Oh yeah, the General seemed angry about something, might have something to do with the Admiral" 199 pointed out. "A decision might've been made that he didn't like, happens all the time actually"

"Why're you guys gossiping? Isn't that supposed to be a girl thing" The trio glanced to see a short ginger haired woman plopping down into a seat next to TK-178 with a smile, placing her helmet down on the table in front of her.

"I don't know, I'd say gossiping can be for guys too" TK-117 stuck his tongue out at her, the ginger laughed at that and shook her head, 117 smiled. "Hey 132, how're you doing?"

TK-132 leaned back against the air. "Good I guess" the only female in the room tilted her head to the side. "I would say fantastic but I almost died recently so just good would suffice"

"You got caught up in the bounty hunter situation?"

"One of them caught me off guard in the storage, dodge the knife just in time, poor guy didn't realize he was dead until I shot him in the head"

TK-117 grinned. "Hey that rhymed"

"I know it did" TK- 132 responded with a shrug, she has been in the same training unit as 117, 178 and 199, but was assigned to a different squad when they graduated from the academy. "Anyway, what's with the tendrilled creature roaming around the ship earlier?"

"Oh, NBT?" TK-199 asked, he earned a nod from her. "The Admiral found him actually, It's a long story but now they're part of the crew"

TK-117 cut in. "NBT means "notorious blaster thief' because y'know, he steals your blasters when you're not looking, then fixes it for some reason" he let out a yawn. "At this point we're used to it, but it's still funny to see others trying to get it back from them"

"Ah, so what is NBT doing right now?"

"I have no clue"