Chapter 2: Dreams of Salvage and Rebellion
The next few weeks were the best either Inyri or Gabe could remember. The two were nearly inseparable. Even when they were separated their thoughts always dwelled on one another. Inyri would wait for Gabe while he helped his dad repair the guard's equipment around the prison, and he would do the same while she volunteered with the children of prisoners and workers. And they would always return to the canyon where their little hideaway was located.
The two spent hours each day fixing up the ships and talking about one day setting out with their fleet to discover distant worlds and new civilizations.
Gabe's thoughts would often drift to dreams of the rebellion and how he wished he could take the Y-wing from Logar's Revenge and take it into battle with the rebellion against the Galactic Empire.
Inyri meanwhile would dream of making a fortune in salvage and one day settling down on some distant world far from kessel and start a family.
They were often interrupted by Lujayne, Inyri's older sister coming on the comlink and telling her it was time for supper. They would have to race back in Gabe's dad's speeder and make some excuse for being late.
"You know what might be pretty cool?" Inyri asked on night.
"What's that?" Gabe grunted as he crawled out from under one of the headhunters.
"Would if we managed to fix all these ships," Inyri explained. "We invest in some tractor beam technology and start like a deep space salvage company or something. Like say the Rebels and the Empire get into it real big out there at someplace like Kamino or something and as soon as it's over we swoop in take whatever's worth taking then bail out of there. We could make a fortune. Hyperdrives, shield generators, ion cannons,….."
"Our faces on The Empire's Most Wanted list," Gabe cut in.
"Yeah but think about how much fun it would be and how much money we could make."
Gabe kissed her cheek. "Who needs money. I got all I want right here."
Inyri put her hands on her hips and gave him a smug look as he went back to work on the Z-95's repulsor lifts. "You gotta think bigger sometimes though," She explained. "I mean don't you ever wonder what it would be like to live the life yah know. Maybe get a big house, top of the line land speeder, droids to wait on us all day long."
"We got J-0P."
"Your dad's maintenance droid isn't exactly what I had in mind."
"I know Inyri." Gabe crawled back out from under the fighter. "I want off of this rock as much as you do. But I'd rather do something more worthwhile then just making money off of half melted space debris. Would if I flew with the rebels against the Empire. Became a war hero taking down a star destroyer single handedly."
"Oh because salvaging with me isn't worthwhile is it?" Inyri folded her arms over her chest and turned away from him.
Gabe came up behind her and put his arms around her abdomen. "You know that's not what I meant," he said. "It's just all the things the rebellion are doing out there, I just wish I could be a part of it. Bringing freedom and justice to this galaxy."
"Yeah but if you went out there and got yourself killed who would look after me?"
"I wouldn't go if I wasn't absolutely sure that I would come back and live the rest of my life with you."
As the sun set Inyri turned and hugged Gabe as he rested his chin atop her head. "You sound like an idiot when you say those things you know."
"Yeah, and only a fool loves an idiot."
"Guess, I'm a fool then, aren't I?"
"We both are," Gabe replied.
Inyri broke the warm embrace when her comlink buzzed in her pocket.
"Captain Forge here," She said.
"Cut it out Inyri," Lujayne's voice came back, "Something big is going down. Theres a big meeting going on.."
"We're on our way." They were already climbing into the speeder.
When they arrived back at the prison worker's compound they found Lujayne waiting with Froop her rodian friend.
"Hurry up you two," Lujayne said.
"Whats happening?" Gabe asked as they followed her through a doorway.
"Rebellion representatives," Lujayne replied leading them down a dimly lit passage way in the compound. "They came disguised as cargo haulers. I think they might be recruiting. In here." She opened a door and they all filed into the back of the mess deck.
"We've now learned that the Emperor has begun construction on a second weapon. More powerful then it's predecessor." A devaronian said to the two hundred or so staff that had gathered to hear him. "What happens if he points it at Kessel? We have a chance to save billions brothers. All I ask for are willing volunteers. We have a list of fifty prisoners. Each one is guilty of nothing more then fighting to overthrow a tyrant. All we need are volunteers to help us free them, make it look like they escaped on their own. Then we will cart them off to Sullust. No one here will be blamed by the Empire for this."
"Would if they find out we helped," one lady shouted.
"Would if they feel we should have done something to stop them and punish us," another listener blurted out.
"My friends, my colleague here," The Devaronian looked at a tall human male, "Has crafted an explosive that any prisoner here could make given the proper training, from items at all times with in there grasp. We just want you to help by slipping a couple weapons and then escorting them to a pick up zone. And also if any of you here wish to join our cause, we can make arrangements to make it seem you were also killed when the prisoners escaped."
The hall errupted with cheers, and arguments from the prison's staff. Inyri looked up and saw Gabe listening intently. He had a spark in his eye such as she had never seen in him before. She knew he was thinking about volunteering.
"Brothers please," The Devaronian continued. Rest assured that no one here will be punished by the Empire. Several guards will die and all that the surviving guards will be able to relay to there masters is that a prisoner threw the explosive and started a riot. The task is dangerous. But the price of doing nothing and letting the Empire destroy this galaxy further would be a much costlier price my friends. Do I have volunteers?"