Chapter 2
The doors in front of Zania opened, and Zania stepped forward, inside the room. The room was mainly in black and gold, and their were gadgets and antiques of all kinds in it. She managed to identify the skin of a carnivorous animal which was announced extinct last year. Grandfather didn't only hunt jedi, did he?
The room was huge, and at the end, in front of a great screen, stood Ernus Morlova. His back was turned to Zania, and he wasn't expecting Zania to say anything. After a long test of patience, Ernus started.
I don't know what to say child. You have dishonored my men, and by the worst means possible. By death Zania! By death! That man had served me his entire life, and you chose to end it. Very wise indeed! Now I don't know what happened on Jesgea'ah, but I am sure that you had misunderstood the whole situation! But you had no right to kill one of the crew without my authority, and so, I am placing you under confinement, in your room, for a month. Food will be….
You don't understand anything do you grandfather. That man wasn't a man. He was a monster. Raping innocent people is bad, and raiding innocent people is good. Are you mad or something? I have served you more than that devil who's burning in hell right now, but if you think I am gonna be punished like a child, then think again! I am leaving!
Where to Morlova? Do not come up with such decisions child, or you will get into much more trouble. Remember, the empire wants us no matter if we bring that green freak Yoda to life and feed him to the Emperor himself. They are playing a game with us, a game of life and death, and yet, you want to go out, and be a mannequin for target practice?
The Empire you say? Our family has evaded the Empire long enough grandfather, and how come do you think they are gonna catch Keira if they can't even catch a stolen cruiser?
ENOUGH! I have had enough! I don't want to hear of this anymore, and you are doing as I say! Do you understand me? I will have armed men guide you to your room, and they will keep watch on you everyday until your time is up!
You are a monster!
I need ten men in my room immediately!
Ernus called through a communication device on his wrist, and very soon, the men were there. Ernus pointed out directions, but Zania didn't even budge. The men tried to ask her, but to no success. Then, Ernus ordered them to use force, but Zania switched on her Deflector,took out her blaster and pointed it at the soldiers.
One move, and I am gonna kill each of you as if you were three legged dogs!
Zania! Do not question my authority! I am punishing you as part of the law I keep inside this Cruiser which is entire my property!
But I am not your property grandfather. If you are going to use force, all of your men are going to die until you have to face me on your own.
That deflector is going to run out of power sooner or later Zania…
In five days grandfather! Can you stay that long, pointing a blaster at my face?
You question me again Zania! How dare you!? Your parents would be disappointed!
That is if they didn't realize what I had done. You seem to decide too quickly grandfather. I am sick of it, and I am moving out.
Order the hanger to be closed off immediately. I want elite guards around it, including my best raiders.
I can say it too grandfather! How dare YOU!? You chose me as your successor. You cannot betray me in such a way!
You are my successor Zania. That's why I want you to learn to live the ways of a Space Pirate. You don't know what I went through when I was your age.
No. If you are not opening that hangar, then I will blast my way in. I have got Protons grandfather.
The steel can withstand the heat of the suns of the Yekgar System Zania.Nothing can break through. I witnessed the modifications myself!
………….
………….
Red alert! Imperial Cruiser has been sighted, which is preparing for full scale attack. All units to their stations, and Lord Morlova is requested to come to the Command Center immediately.
Men, go to your stations. I am going to the Command Center, and Zania, you come with me!
Zania gave him a blank face, and she followed him to the bridge where the CC was. There were already men there, who held high posts in front of her grandfather. They all saluted him, and they briefed him of what was happening.
Order all the pilots to get ready to attack that cruiser. And man all the mounted guns, turn on the deflectors, and ready the cruiser for a full scale attack. Also, order a carrier ship to carry engineers to the enemy ship for sabotage, and the engineers must be protected by my best pilots. I appoint you Zania, you and your friend Narla for the job. Do it well, and I might reconsider my decisions.
Yes sir….
It was all Zania could say. She was not sad nor happy. But it was her duty to protect Hunter in all ways possible. Sabotaging enemy ships was a common tactic used by her grandfather during space battles, for destroying an enemy ship with force might attract more enemies if they took more time.
Zania changed into her normal Tank top and tights to pilot Keira. In a moment, Hunter had started taking hundreds of hits, and when she went to the hangar, many pilots were already taking off for the battle. Hundreds of explosions were seen outside Hunter, and many lives were being lost. Huge laser beams were fired onto the enemy ship and the ship's bridge was targeted most. Zania met Narla, but they exchanged only a few words. They discussed how to protect the engineers, and they decided to use the carrier painted similar to Imperial carriers. They met the engineers who would be on the mission and there were around nine of them, all of them disguised as Imperial engineers too.
Zania and Narla would be flying nearby to the carrier, but not so near to catch much attention. Soon, Zania was inside Keira, and Narla in her Y-Wing. They took off, and the sights were disturbing. Hundreds of fighters were fighting, and many were dying as well. The two cruisers were exchanging mighty beams of laser, and Hunter seemed to have the upper hand. Zania maneuvered the craft closer to the enemy hangar, and she had already taken out two Tie Fighters, with Narla hunting down even more. Soon, the carrier was very near, and Zania circled around checking for any fighters which would attack it. Suddenly, the enemy cruiser's mounted guns started firing at Keira, and Zania bolted out of the way.
In the process, Zania could not control the fighter for a strange force was pulling it upwards. The carrier was experiencing the same thing, as well as all of the fighters around her. Suddenly, the carrier struck the cruisers deflectors, and exploded into a million pieces. In front of her eyes, the cruiser opened a huge part of its main body, which turned out to be a huge weapon. It charged up a bit, and then released all the power at full force towards Hunter's bridge.
The bridge exploded instantly, and Hunter was in a wreck. There was debris all over, and tears formed in Zania's eyes as she had just witnessed her grandfather's death. The strange force still overpowered many ships, but Tie Fighters started moving around with ease, destroying each of Hunter's fighters one by one. Soon, Zania saw only saw Keira and Narla's ship as the survivors. The force had tightened on the ship more than before, and before her very own eyes, parts of the spaces near the Imperial Cruiser started to blur a lot. In a moment, hundreds of Imperial Cruisers came into view. Zania was astonished as she realized that the Cruisers had maintained a form of invisibility throughout the battle. Hunter was never going to win! But more than all of this, and huge ship revealed itself hovering above all the cruisers. It was indeed very huge, and almost twenty cruisers could have fit into it's main body, excluding the bridge and thrusters.
It was that ship's tractor beams which were holding the fighters in place, and suddenly, the beam got stronger, and the two remaining fighters were pulled inside. The hangar was huge, with almost a thousand ships inside, and hundreds of men had Keira and Narla's ship surrounded. They had raised their blasters at Zania and Narla, and Zania spotted a caped person, who looked more like a droid with a lightsaber at his side at the very front of the crowd of soldiers. He ordered the two pilots to come out, and they obeyed. They were ordered to lay on their knees with hands at their back while some soldiers hand-cuffed them with some kind of gadget. The pressure on their hands was great, and then they were escorted to separate rooms where they were given clothes and food. Zania tore the clothes in half and spat on them, and then she kicked the food away. She was happy with what she was wearing, and she had no intention to eat as a prisoner of the Empire. Death was more preferable.
Food came and went a couple of times, and Zania could conclude that a lot of time had passed. She could not still believe her grandfather was gone, although she was glad that Narla was still alive. Both grief and gladness were felt by her, and later, while she laid on bed and tried to sleep, a stormtrooper burst in, and ordered her to get out. They escorted her in front of a huge room, where she found Narla too.
Get in! They are waiting.
They?! Who are the people 'They'??
Just get in before we reconsider letting you live…
Give it a try gentlemen
The soldiers pushed the two of them inside, and Zania saw the same strange droid looking person, and beside him sat a man who's face was deformed, with white hair, and bad teeth.
Welcome, daughter of Morlova. This is my apprentice Darth Vader, and I am The Emperor…….
To be continued in Chapter 3…