—/ Chapter 10 /—
Long Ago Junk - Spira System
[The ship took off leaving the fallen wreckage of the starfighters behind. As they broke through the atmosphere, there was a general sign of relief. It was only then that they noticed the Union Capital Ships that stretched throughout the ship's peripheral that they knew they were in trouble. Suddenly, the 'Long Ago Junk' began to move towards the nearest Union ship on its own accord despite Zanka's best attempts to wrest control. The ship shook violently as Zanka tried to fight against it, that was until Arran entered the cockpit and put his hand on the jawa's shoulder.]
Arran: They've won Zanka. Let it go.
Zanka: [He stared ahead at the approaching Union vessel before snapping out of his shock.] Using my first name now, huh?
Arran: [He whapped the back of Zanka's head with a firm hand.] Call everyone to the lounge. We need to have a quick meeting before they board us.
Zanka: [He pressed a button on the dashboard and his voice echoed throughout the entire ship.] Everyone get to the main hold. We need to plan for our imminent capture.
[Everyone met in the main hold of the 'Long Ago Junk', including the offline husk of H8er. Arran had his arms crossed, his mouth set into a scowl.]
Arran: The Union has us in a tractor beam. They will capture this vessel, board the ship, and arrest us. We need to assess our options. This is no time for nonsense. [One of his hands met his neck as he scratched at his beard.] Myles, you may know more of recent Union activity than I. Is fighting them even an option?
Myles: It would all depend on if they have some way to fight you, Zanka, and Azura. That would have been my job, but since the Shadow left with you I'm not sure who that job would fall to.
Azura: I fear their numbers would be too great for a direct approach, we need to go about this in a different way, fortunately for us they don't know how many of us are on board.
Myles: Agreed, if they don't board with lethal intent I would suggest not giving them a reason to.
Arran: I don't know what has changed since I led the Union, but I suspect a lot of my tactics are still in place. Fighting them on their terms would be foolish.
Zanka: Is there a way I can pose as a hostage? If I only speak jawa Trade, they might not lock me up.
Arran: Maybe...How'd they find us in the first place? [He scanned the room at the group huddled around a small table, gazing at their pensive faces.]
Zanka: I'm not sure. We're in the Core, but I can't think of any reason they'd know where to find us. I took us down nice and quiet.
Myles: Only way they could find us like this would be to have a tracker on the ship.
Zanka: Who would put a tracker on this ship in the first place?
Arran: [He let out a groan just as the ship shook and locked into their captives hangar.] There's only one logical place—Coruscant.
Zanka: [He mutters more-so to himself in thought] I only spoke Jawa Trade to the officer.
Azura: [She smiled.] You boys went through a lot of trouble just to find me.
Myles: [He snapped at the Twi'lek.] This isn't the time for jokes. We need a plan now.
Arran: [He leaned over the small table and turned to Myles again, the man he knew he could depend on in tight situations like this.] If you activate Shadow protocol, will you be picked up on their sensors?
Myles: [He inwardly grimaced but his face did not betray his apprehension.] Let's hope not.
Arran: Gear up Myles. Stay with the ship for eight hours at least, then try to make contact with one of us and plot our escape. We don't know what we're up against.
Myles: [He nodded at Arran.] See you then. [He leaves the room to get his equipment, calmly slipping into his small quarters.]
Arran: We need a Plan B if this fails.
Azura: I could try to make them...cooperate.
Arran: [He grimaced at the idea and shook his head.] What's keeping you from leaving us all behind?
Azura: [She gave a mock gasp of surprise.] Why Arran, how can you say such things about me?
Zanka: I need to handle something in the cockpit. Be right back. [He leaves the main hold in an instant, not waiting for a response from anybody.]
Arran: [He scoffs and sighs, not paying attention to the jawa's exit.] Don't play the victim, wench. Forgive me for having trust issues with someone who's had "loose" intentions.
Azura: So touchy today. [She gave a false pout.]
Arran: [His head perks up as he senses soldiers starting to crack open the ship and board.] We're out of time. Nk'ik, get out here!
[Zanka exits the cockpit and stands in the main hold with them.]
Arran: Myles is our best shot, but if he fails—
[Arran was cut short as the blast door opened. He clenched his fist. No Plan B. Arran kept his eyes on the door as it was forced open. No armed troops seemed to enter, but a young woman dressed in an officer's uniform entered with her hands clasped behind her back. She stopped short of the group and gave a smile from under the veil that was draped over the top of her face.]
Officer: We have been searching for you for some time Zarkaine. You would be wise to surrender.
Arran: You should have brought more troops Captain. [He sensed the woman was strong in the Force, stronger than just a typical Miraluka.]
Officer: Do you believe I would be so foolish to enter here on my own?
[Figures suddenly appear around them, their blasters raised at Arran. Arran was surprised to see the troops. He had not sensed them, nor had he heard them.]
Officer: Secure the other one. [She gestures towards the door leading to the cargo hold, two of the soldiers break away from the group and leave the room.]
Arran: Clever, but they are nothing compared to the Shadow.
Officer: Yes, your Shadow Initiative was quite impressive Zarkaine. You found a way to mask their presence in the Force and hunt down Jedi. Meet the Phantom Initiative, its technology is similar to your Shadow but improved. These men have been trained to fight any Force User, even you.
Arran: [A wide grin appears on his face.] We'll see about that.
[A loud bang is heard from elsewhere in the ship. A few moments later, Myles is led into the room at gunpoint, arms raised up.]
Officer: Well Zarkaine, looks like we did in fact, "see". A pity Taylov wasted his talents with the likes of you. He would have done well had he stayed with the Union—It would have saved us time from having to rediscover the technology you had created for the Shadows. It all worked out in the end. You have surrendered to us, and thus your reign of terror ends. You will die a traitor's death.
Zanka: [Speaking jawa Trade language.] Finally free jawa? Taken hostage by evil human.
Officer: So quick to turn on your master, Mr. Nk'ik? [She grinned predatorily at him, her hands resting on her back.] There is someone here who wishes to see you.
[Meeka walks slowly up the loading ramp. When she reaches the top, she salutes the Officer and walks over to Zanka, slapping him hard across the face.]
Zanka: [He chokes out the words.] Meeka? Why?
Meeka: [She glares at him but when she speaks, her voice is a mixture of rage and anguish.] Why? WHY? I got back into headquarters for two seconds and did a search on 'Mr. Zarkaani' that that suicidal droid uploaded into my datapad. There exists no such Ithorian, let alone anyone with that name! Did you not even notice that I never sent you credits? What is more, is that you lied to me Zanka. Time and time again! I put the tracker on your ship and I put a microphone on you. I heard it all. You're one of those—those—disgusting people who use—that—that—
Azura: Force? [She grins cheekily.]
Meeka: [She gave the Twi'lek a withering look before turning back to Zanka and continued her tirade] THAT horrible thing. Electrician indeed. You never told me! You are not the jawa I married. [Her tone changed to more pleading.] I let the Union know the location of Zarkaine. You can still walk away from this. Give up this way of life. You can be happy. We can be happy.
Officer: Our real qualm is only with Zarkaine and Taylov. The rest of you will be tried before the judiciary for your actions and involvement in the traitorous activities of that man [She points to Arran.] You will have a chance of being found not guilty, assuming you tell us what we wish to know and cooperate.
Zanka: [Had been glaring at Meeka as the officer talked.] Your government is as fake as my wife's love for me.
[Meeka slaps Zanka across the face again.]
Arran: I forged an alliance between the Republic and my militia to form the Union—I will always be its rightful ruler. If you think your "Phantoms" are going to stop me, you have another thing coming. When I escape, you'll be seeing my blade across your throat.
Officer: [She smiles, baring her white teeth.] Charming as ever Zarkaine. You've always had a way with words, sadly for you they've fallen on deaf ears. [She gestures towards Zanka, Azura, and Myles.] Take those three to the prepared cells on the detention level. Zarkaine comes with me; special arrangements have been made for him.
[The Phantom take hold of the prisoners and escort them out of the 'Long Ago Junk' and into the massive hangar bay of the Union Capital ship. Troops stand in lines watching the passing captives. Several spit on Arran as he passes. He sneers at them but ultimately remains calm. Two Phantom troopers are appointed to guard Arran as the officer leads them down a different hallway than Zanka and the others. Meeka follows the group with Zanka and the others. Two Union soldiers stand guard at the loading ramp, while the others go back to their positions.]
Arran: [Staring at the back of the officer's head.] There's something off about you...you are influenced by the Dark Side. It seems my Union is full of insurgents wishing to kill me.
Officer: [She chuckles mockingly with a sharp sway in her hips.] Tell me, did you really think that The Republic would just go along with having an army of Sith join their ranks? It didn't seem strange how smoothly everything went within the Senate? You walked in just after the Chancellor was murdered and claimed dominion over the Galaxy and not a single person argued against it. Not to mention the one who killed the Chancellor was the same one that attacked you and took your wife. Were you really that blinded by your ego that you failed to notice all of that?
Arran: [He feels anger boiling inside of him as the officer speaks. He always felt that he had accomplished those things on his own, because of his own doing. As much as he hated to admit it, the Officer made sense. He wanted to throttle the woman's neck.] I'm going to kill you.
Officer: You can try if you must, but my master might have something to say about it.
Arran: [He spoke softly as he was pushed forward when he slowed his pace.] The Cerean I saw in my vision.
Officer: A vision?
Arran: [He scoffs and shrugs off the Phantom's hand resting on his shoulder.] I'm not telling you anything. I saw your Master, he's a Cerean from the old Sith militia I was trained into.
Officer: [She shrugs, her pace stagnant in speed and movement.] You told me what I wanted to know anyway.
Arran: [There is anger in his voice.] Who is your Master!?
Officer: You already know, the Cerean from your vision.
Arran: [He growls, arching himself forward toward the woman. He was immediately stopped as more Phantom hands reached around his chest.] What is his name, you twisted bitch.
Officer: [She laughs as Arran is pushed into his cell and locked in a containment field.] Name calling Zarkaine? Oh how far you have fallen.
Arran: [He guffaws as he quickly inspects his cell for any torturing devices.] When I get out of here I'm going to kill you slowly.
Officer: So never then.
[As the door shuts Arran's screams of rage can be heard. The officer takes out a small holoprojector and activates it, an image of a hooded cerean appearing flickers on from an illuminating glow.]
Officer: Lord Verraden, Zarkaine is in custody. He was with the Jedi Nk'ik as well as Myles Taylov and Azura Vahn. What would you have done with them?
Verraden: Bring them to me.
Officer: I thought you only wanted Zarkaine?
Verraden: The plans have changed. Bring them to me...unaltered.
[Meanwhile In the 'Long Ago Junk', lights shine and a whirring sound is heard in H8er's hull. After several moments, H8er scans the area and rolls around in the main hold. He scans the room again, this time more intensively, and finds nobody. H8er rolled himself to the start of the ramp and noticed the two guards keeping watch. If he could, he would have let out a screech or a small scream, but with his vocabulator out, he couldn't. It took the droid only a few seconds to realize his companions have been captured and it was up to him to do something about it, or in the very least find them to torture them during their final moments alive... The droid rolled himself to the cockpit and watched the loading ramp as he hacked into the Junk's computer and forced it to play the first song on the jawa's playlist over the speakers. When the music started to blare, the droid quickly rolled behind stacked durasteel crates. The guards came up to investigate, their blasters raised. When they reached the cockpit and started to bang on the computer to shut it off, H8er rolled down the ramp and casually rolled down an adjacent hallway. If he could, he'd play a small victory song for himself. In the meantime, he'd search for a droid maintenance room to fix himself up.]