"This is shuttle..." Atton sighed, a palm slapping his lowered head. "...Dantooine revived requesting permission to dock."
Mira chuckled where she sat the the co-pilot seat, Mical had obviously given the poor ship its name...something that seemed enough to make the thing sway a little in protest. Or maybe that was just Atton being tipsy? "Please don't try to crash the ship Atton, I like breathing." Mira crossed her arms, yawned and glanced out through the window.
The sky was depressingly dark. Even outside Dantooine's atmosphere the stars were pitifully small, not worth noting.
In comparison the growing cruiser ahead of them was massive, its silver and red paint job glowing against the light of the sun behind the tiny shuttle. The command deck at the front looking like an Ithorian's head. Mira had never liked those hammerhead-class cruisers...they looked too much like a detonator, and who wanted to fly in a thing reminiscent of a tool for fiery destruction?
"This is the republic cruiser Protector, stand by...Dantooine Revived...?" There was a chuckle across the com before the operator cut the connection.
"I'm going to kill that little prick!" Atton growled, squinting at his fists closed around the controller. "You'd think he would stop annoying me when I'm not on the same damn planet..."
"This is Protector, you're cleared to land, follow the beacon."
Mira put her boots on the dashboard and her hands behind her head, Atton shot her a look "Oh calm down, soon you won't even be in the same star system." She inspected her nails, feeling a little nervous as they approached the hangar. "You think we should wear those robes Mical gave us? I feel a little...un-jedi."
"Nah, we don't want to stir more problem among the crew then needed." Atton grimaced. "Wearing our sabres...as ordered...is bad enough, man I'm so going to kill him." Mira sighed, was he going to be like this the entire trip? "Besides, I like you in that getup."
She twitched in irritation, Atton however ignored her glare as he grinned out at the hangar. Slowly setting the shuttle down in the surprisingly small hangar. Frustrating jerk, first he whines his ass off over his lost love and then he comes with cheap come ons... Mira shook her head and focused on the task at hand.
The reason for the shuttle being small was the built in bunkers along the length of it, as well as turrets hanging from the roof, turrets that were obviously active... The amount of armed soldiers doing odd chores like moving stacks of crates from one end of the hangar to another was ridiculous. Only a single figure was standing in attention, waiting for them.
Mira had to give it to him, Atton knew how to fly, she hadn't even felt it touch down... "Okay, please don't mess this up now you fool." Slipping to her feet Mira smacked the man over the head, drawing a growl from him. "In fact...let me do all the talking."
"Fine, I didn't want any part in this anyway. I'll just hang back and look scary." Atton muttered as he followed Mira down the dropping ramp.
"You don't do scary, you do mildly annoying...maybe even slightly itchy, though I guess the later is reserved for the ladies." Atton just grunted in reply.
The moment she stepped down the ramp Mira felt several dozen pair of eyes fixed on her. She tried not to notice the barrels resting against the slits in the bunkers, shadows hiding within the bunkers...or the way the soldiers moving the useless stacking of crates glanced at her as they adjusted their weapons. At least they were polite enough not to aim the massive turrets in the ceiling against them....
A man came to meet them, his uniform fancier then the rest. A...captain wasn't it? Should be, but Mira wasn't an expert on uniforms. He wore long yellow gloves over an orange uniform with golden epaulettes atop his shoulders, as well as an equally orange capped hat. The man himself was dark skinned and cleanly shaved, and though etched by age and worries...the attentive stance and the bright blue eyes told Mira he took his duties seriously.
Who designed those uniforms anyway? No wonder the republic was on the verge of collapse...
"I'm captain Lennwan. It's a pleasure to meet you." The man kept his tone neutral as he reached out to shake Mira's hand, she could sense his wariness however. "I trust you'll find your accommodations to your satisfaction as we make our way to Coruscant."
"I'm sure they'll be satisfactory." Mira smiled. "And don't worry, we won't be a problem." She sensed his caution, but his tension diminished a little.
The captain nodded. "That is good to know." He eyed Atton, the man was casually eyeing the working soldiers, his hands deep in his pockets. "Is this...your padawan?"
"As if!" The scoundrel snorted, not even bothering to look at the captain as he stuck out is tongue at an inquisitive soldier, the man quickly looking away. Oh for the force...Mira tried to pretend as if nothing as she said: "No, we are simply...jedi."
"I...see." The captain shot his troops a look, the soldiers having visibly inched away from the three figures. They were full of fear...it reeked. "If you don't mind I would like to show you your quarters."
"Very well."
The show was over and the soldiers quietly moved away as the captain led them away. What would have happened if the meeting had gone sour? Mira shuddered and shot Atton a look, the man seemed perfectly relaxed despite the worry emanating from him. Perhaps he really did know what people thought of them.
Just great...