Windward Space Port.
Day 5 of the New Galactic Empire.
The Empire was slowly tightening its grip but some areas of chaos still remained with people trying to work through it and that included Coruscant ATC.
Maze was surprised their ID's and credits worked, so far. Duq had kept his promise this far.
He checked everything again.
He didn't look around, unable to face Essie.
He glanced at Zey; he was still dropping in and out of healing trances but seemed to struggle to remain in them and had a haunted look on his face.
Del sat quietly, Maze caught his eye and nodded, then turned back to the instruments they needed to be ready.
Del looked from one adult to another, confused.
He slid from his seat and sat to Zey.
"I miss Mama Sol and Gramps." he said to Zey. But the old General had fallen asleep again. So he just sat next to him. He was big like gramps and made him feel safe. Gramps didn't have any hair but he had two long Lekku that wrapped around him and made him feel safe; the General had long hair and a beard and he was big like gramps. Mama Sol had said he was a Jedi and could do magic.
He didn't think so.
He looked over to Mammy. She was angry. He always knew when she was angry, even if he couldn't see her. He felt cold inside. When she was happy and relaxed, he felt warm and tired. When there was a problem, he had a stomach ache. Normally when she was with Maze he felt all warm inside but not now. He was cold.
He looked at Maze doing something with the buttons in the cockpit. He was busy again.
He shivered and wrapped the blanket around himself more.
.
"We're going for a little walk." Essie announced to Maze. Zey had managed to get into whatever healing trance he had been trying to get into for hours and she couldn't face sitting with Maze in this craft.
"Don't go far, we may get the go ahead any time."
"We won't!" She wanted to add 'I'm not that stupid' but could barely bring herself to talk to him.
He had refused to help Nat and Sol.
"Del?" She held out her hand, he looked at Maze, then the General before taking it and walking out with her.
"We'll go and have a look at some of the ships. What do you say?"
Del saw Mammy smile and she tried to look happy but she didn't feel that way. He nodded and walked with her.
Any other time he would have been fascinated with all the different ships in the spaceport. He played a game with Gramps, when they went to get supplies there were always ships there. Perhaps Mammy would play.
"H….W….K-290" he announced as he recognised the first ship and pointed at it. There were so many here and he was happy to be out of the confined space they were in.
"What?" Essie asked, confused.
"We can play 'find the freighter'. Gramps taught me. You have to find another freighter next along in the alphabet. I nearly know all the letters now."
She remembered doing something like that with her Dad, before he died but hadn't realised Del was so far forward.
"HT-2200 medium freighter?" She asked, pointing to one in the corner. Where she had dragged that memory from she wasn't sure.
Del peered at it and nodded.
"Nebula-class freighter." He pointed to the one they were just walking past.
"Hmm!" She was struggling now. "YT - 1300." She finally said pointing to one in the corner, there were always a lot of those they were common. She realised they had walked quite a way from their own ship and kept looking back just to check.
Del followed her lead and looked back towards their ship, "YV 666. That's ours."
Essie didn't answer, she was staring at the entrance to the spaceport, at the squad of Stormtroopers marching in.
"Mammy! Have you got another one?"
She twisted him around quickly.
"No! We need to get back to the ship now."
Del saw the troopers heading towards them, stopping at each ship. They had an Akk dog with them.
"Ooh! Dog!" He pulled around to get a better look at it.
"No! We need to get back now."
She dragged him back, hurrying them along trying not to look conspicuous, as they headed away from the squad.
Del felt a stomach ache; Mammy was worried again. He let himself be picked up as they hurried back to the ship, Essie trying to pick up the pace inconspicuously.
The ramp was already down when they reached it and Essie ran up it.
"We have company." Muttered Maze.
"I saw."
She put Del in a seat and strapped him in, hands shaking.
"They're checking the ships. They've got an Akk dog sniffing around."
"They're not looking for anyone in particular." Zey commented, "It's a new check they've instigated." he was alert now although his gaze was oddly unfocused, as he looked through the cockpit window.
Maze sat ready, his left knee bouncing up and down nervously.
"Come on. Come on." He muttered, watching the troopers working their way along the row of ships; his hand ready on the controls, to move them out.
"Are we waiting for something?" Asked Essie.
"ATC clearance. We should have it already. Don't know what's delaying it."
"The troopers?"
"Hmm!"
They'll recognise him, as soon as they come in despite the several days of growth he's got on his face. There was no getting away from that.
"Coruscant 38009707 - this is Windward ATC, your departure is authorised." The com burst into life.
"Thank you ATC." Maze replied, his voice calm, belying the way he looked, as he pushed the controls to take them forward.
Essie held her breath as they slowly passed the troopers, who were still examining the docked ships.
"They're not happy with us," said Zey, as they moved past the squad. One of them looked at them and touched his helmet. That odd habit clines had when they were receiving a com or Intel.
Maze recognised it and accelerated.
"Coruscant - 38009707. This is Windward ATC - Abort departure. Repeat abort departure."
Maze ignored it, pushed the controls to their limit and they shot out of the Spaceport hangar up into the sky lane traffic, narrowly missing several speeders. He pulled it up further and they screamed upwards, twisting through the atmospheric traffic which still included hulls of damaged and partially destroyed ships, narrowly avoiding several collisions. That should have been a no go area but Maze powered through it using all his skill to avoid the wrecks.
His years of training getting them through this.
Beads of perspiration appeared on his face, as he concentrated on getting the freighter through; it wasn't quite like flying a durocrete brick, as Duq had obviously had some modifications, like the laser cannons he found but they wouldn't help here. It was still a clumsy ship.
He had to do this, his training, his expertise.
If he did nothing else, he had to get these people through this.
He couldn't lose anyone else.
ATC was still on the radio threatening them with destruction if they didn't comply.
Maze ignored it, and pressed on.
They were going so fast Essie didn't see the other ships following but felt the jolts as something hit them, knocking them off course. Lights dimmed in the cockpit and they slowed, almost floating, losing power for a few seconds. Maze frantically pressed some more controls, regained power and they surged up and forward again.
Finally, the debris cleared as they exited the atmosphere. Maze took them around Centax 5, hiding from the ships in the atmosphere. He slowed, programmed the navcom and they shot into hyperspace with a judder, the stars steaming by until they reached cruising speed. Then the mingling colours of hyperspace took over.
In any other circumstances, Essie would have been fascinated by that, as she had never left Coruscant before but not now. Now she concentrated on holding Del's hand tight and praying to whatever Gods there were out there, that they escaped safely.
.
Bracca.
They dropped out of hyperspace with a jolt that shook the whole ship; Maze struggled to get control for a few seconds and then slowed. He scanned the atmosphere, the planet did not seem to have a blockade, so he piloted the ship to the outer atmosphere of the salvage planet.
"We've got a problem. Can't maintain the power to the hyperdrive." He frantically pressed buttons.
"It's no good. We'll have to land so I can take a look at it."
Zey sat frowning, he was struggling with something.
"The Force feels different." He murmured, eyes closed again.
Essie watched him and she didn't like the way he looked, drained, shrunken; so far from the man she had met before.
She turned to Maze and stared at his back.
She was still angry with him.
"Where's this?" She asked, the anger still in her voice and Maze had said very little since they left Coruscant, concentrating on the ship.
"Bracca! It's a salvage planet. Thought we could get whatever parts we need, assuming I can work out what's wrong."
"You don't know?"
"Not exactly." He scrubbed a hand across his face. He was tired. The adrenaline from the escape flight was draining away from him.
Essie looked away; she still had feelings for him despite her anger and yet, for some reason she wanted to stay angry with him.
Del sat next to her quiet, occasionally glancing at Maze, then Zey and then back at Essie.
His Mother finally looked down at him. She was still angry. He didn't think he had made her angry because she smiled at him, ruffled his hair and kissed him. He squirmed away from her.
No—she wasn't angry with him.
The General, that's what she called the old man. He was ill. But he was kind. Del felt safe with him but he was very tired and Del thought it was because he was very old and ill.
She wasn't angry with him.
Maze was being strange; he was ignoring him now. He had never done that before. He had always been fun but now he had left Mama Sol and Gramps behind and that was why Mother was angry.
She shouldn't be because they would catch up; they always did. He had heard them talk to Maze to tell him to leave them, so it wasn't his fault. Sometimes he just didn't understand Mammy.
But he had to be good because there were bad men around. The General had told him that. Be a good boy and do what your Mother says.
But she was angry with Maze. He liked Maze, he looked stern but he wasn't. He didn't like it when she was angry with Maze. He liked it when they were both happy. Smiling and even - ew! Kissing.
He hoped she wasn't angry with Maze for long.
He sat back and promised himself he would be good for Mammy, Zey and Maze. He would do exactly what they said.
.
The small freighter dropped gently to the ground; its feet and dampeners adjusted on the uneven, debris strewn ground.
Maze sighed as they touched down.
"The normal thrusters and drive are working okay. It's the hyperdrive." Maze announced, before he turned off all the engines. He could fly easily enough but it was draining when there was only you. Zey wasn't fit enough yet and Essie didn't know how.
And then there was the problem between them. He ought to address it now but with the ship's problems it would have to wait.
It had been fine when he did the pre-flight checks before they took off, so it must have been when they were hit. He'd have to check.
"Stay inside! I'll check outside first."
"I can't sense anyone out there." Zey commented, he looked at Essie. She gave him a little smile. All this wasn't his fault; he had moments when his energy peaked then dropped again. He was doing okay now.
"Wait till I give the all clear!" He shouted back to them before he opened the door.
Essie undid her belt, and leaned over to Del.
"You alright darlin'?"
He squirmed, hating it when she called him that, then nodded.
Maze checked outside, lowered the ramp and cautiously, with a blaster drawn, went outside.
They waited patiently.
"You and Maze need to talk." Zey advised, breaking the silence. He was getting a headache with all the anger and stubbornness on the little ship.
"I don't think we have much to say to each other." Essie replied, she had nothing against Zey.
"Well you need to find some common ground, and soon."
Essie ground her teeth. She didn't think she could have the conversation Zey was alluding to, about Nat and Sol.
"All clear!" Declared Maze, as he walked back up the ramp. "But take care out there. There may things out there we don't know about. There's the scrappers and some of the ships are unstable."
He pulled a maintenance kit from under the cockpit panel.
"I'm going to check the outside of the ship." He pulled a bottle of water out to take with him.
Essie sighed.
"Mammy can I go with Maze?"
"Not now."
"Why?"
"He's busy."
"Why?"
"He's repairing the ship."
"Why?"
"There's something broken on it and he needs to concentrate, to fix it."
"Can I help him?"
She looked over at Zey, he appeared asleep again.
"Let's both go and look."
She pulled on his coat. It was difficult to see what kind of weather was outside, the atmosphere was misty, dirty, smelt of chemicals but was breathable.
They walked around the edge of the ship; Essie saw the scorch marks along the side. They had been hit several times.
Maze had brought them down on a fairly level piece of ground but they were still surrounded by carcasses of different types of ships. The larger ones stood like mountains in the distance. The atmosphere smelt like some of the industrial areas on Coruscant. She didn't want to stay here for long.
"Don't go far." Maze instructed.
"We want to help!" Del declared
"If you can find a freighter like this, that would be helpful. Just let me know. Use your com. I'll come and find you."
Essie couldn't see his face; he was on his back under the ship.
"We can do that."
"Be careful, there are members of the Scrappers Guild on here. Who knows which side they were on, and now…."
"Okay. I'll go with him."
She turned to go then realised, "What exactly are we looking for?" She asked sheepishly.
"A freighter like this or similar size. One where we can salvage parts. The scrappers will have targeted the larger Republic ships, that's where they make their money. And don't go near any water."
Essie was beginning to think this was a bad idea but Del had already skipped off; she followed him quickly.
"Essie?" She stopped and turned.
"Yes?"
"Take your blaster!"
"I've got it." She replied frantically trying to find where Del had disappeared to. She was panicking before she saw him skipping fearlessly across the debris strewn landscape towards one of the larger wrecks.
.
They stood staring at the pool of water that had massed in the crater after the ship was lowered down. They had hid, whilst watching a Venator class Republic destroyer, ir what was left of it as it was towed into position and lowered to the surface.
They were miles away but you could still feel and see it.
The death of a starship.
Del had watched fascinated and now they were next to a large area of water. Maze had specifically said to keep away from them.
She looked at it, a deep dark blue, almost black espanse.
There was something in there but she couldn't see what.
Del was scrambling on the ground. He picked up some piece of scrap and before she could stop him he had lobbed it as far as he could.
She pulled him away, just in case. Then realised she hadn't heard a splash, Del was pointing, a huge tentacle raised in the air, holding onto the piece of scrap.
"Whoah!" He gasped.
"It's been a while since I saw that."
Essie turned, as the piece of metal hit her, she didn't hear Del screaming.
.
Maze knew exactly which part he needed now. It had shorted out from one of the shots but should be easy enough to get one and slip in. They could come off several ships, so hopefully if they could get one. If not they would have to get to a shipyard. Kuat would be under Imperial control but Corellia might be the best for a new one.
He heard Del scream, "Mammy!" and pushed himself out from under the ship. Zey was already walking down the ramp.
"Something's happened." He seemed more alert now than he had previously.
"They were looking for parts."
"I can find them." Zey confirmed, "follow me!"
They moved quickly through the scrap, until Zey put his hand out to stop.
"It's Essie. Del is fine but frightened." Zey said, frowning.
"Where are they? I told them to be careful." Maze asked.
"A hundred metres, just around there!" He pointed again. "There's just one other person with them."
Maze crouched as he scrambled along the ground; Zey following quietly behind him.
It was just like Qiilura.
They reached the open ground, still crouching.
Essie was on the floor but trying to get up.
"Put the lad down!" Maze said coolly. His blaster pointed at the scrapper's head; they were holding Del.
Maze couldn't see the eyes, the helmet only had slits. Zey had stayed at the side with the scrappers in his line of sight, whilst holding out a hand for Essie. The bump on her head was filling out and dripping blood down her face. She ignored it.
"Yeah. Give me a reason." The scrapper retorted, as Del squirmed to get free.
"If you hurt him, I will kill you." Essie spat out, the epitome of the mother protecting her young, despite her head pouring blood. She leaned towards them and took a step forward.
Maze gestured to her to stay back, as Zey touched her arm. She looked at neither, eyes fixed on the scrapper holding her son. Zey could feel the hate burning through her. What she felt for Maze was irritation compared to this.
"This is our claim. We cleared it and we get to sell anything found in it." The scrapper declared.
"Including kids?" Asked Maze.
The Scrapper shrugged their shoulders, "If there's a price." She pulled Del closer. "A nice young, fresh one would fetch a good price."
"Where?" Asked Essie, voice wavering. This was her worst nightmare.
"Through the Guild."
"A middle man?" She pushed.
Maze wasn't sure what she was doing but still preferred his way.
"Yeah, if you put it that way."
"How much commission do they take?"
"Let me kill them!" Growled Maze.
Zey had his hand on his light saber but they hadn't seen him; he closed his eyes, then opened them, focusing on the scrapper as something happened.
Essie ignored him.
"Twenty percent."
"I'll pay you. I have credits the Guild doesn't even need to know." Essie said, desperate to get him back.
Then something happened, his hand, with the blaster currently pointed at Del, was moving, slowly back. He dropped Del, trying to pull his own hand back down with his other. Del ran towards her.
She picked him up and watched Zey. He was sweating, concentration etched on his face. This was the Force.
Then she heard the blaster shot.
Maze had taken it and Zey slumped.
Maze kicked the scrappers body into the water, as she held Zey up.
"Let's get back to the ship before more come." Ordered Maze, as he took Zey's weight of her.
.
Zey stood at the ship, blaster ready; Essie came out and swore he had shrunk even further.
"You should let me dress that shoulder again!" He ignored her.
"How's Del?"
"Fast asleep. It scared him. You should have let me pay."
"Nobody is going to buy a being again while I am there. And you should talk to Maze."
"Yeah."
She saw Maze push himself from under the ship and she headed back in.
"All done!"