The young apprentice couldn't believe it. He didn't want to. That this farmer is the legendary Kyle Katarn. The one who saved the Jedi Praxeum from that dark Jedi's forces only a week or two ago. Sure, he has a lightsaber. And a blaster. But in looks, he isn't much. With his tan tunic and shaggy beard, one could easily mistake him as a bantha herder.
And then there is the ship. A rickety old mass of creaking metal. When he heard the tales of Katarn, he had expected a ship armed to the teeth. But on the outside, no such weapons are visible. Even the speed was surprising when it took off. The inside didn't look too fancy at all. At least, not to his standards. When it took off, it shuddered, and the young boy was certainly worried about that. Although, somehow the light black freighter had made it through the sky, and the atmosphere. How? He didn't know. It was so rickety, feeling like it would shake apart soon.
Now, they were travelling through hyperspace. Neither spoke since they left the temple. Just complete and utter silence. All that could be heard is the sound of the ship's engines, and the low hum of the console. The blue of hyperspace surrounds the ship, filling most of the pilot's view. The padawan sits in his chair, his arms crossed across his chest. He is truly in a sulky mood. All his life in the Academy, he wanted to be trained by a Jedi master, like Luke Skywalker, or any other Jedi master. But the silence didn't last too long, as the ship pulls out of hyperspace. The older man activates the comms device, and it crackles before coming to life. On the other end, there is a feminine voice that addresses Kyle.
"Kyle. Took you long enough." He shows off a small grin, and replies to the voice on the other end.
"Sorry, but I was too busy getting our next mission," he quips, then glances towards his younger passenger and continues with an unenthusiastic tone, "And a surprise." The padawan scowls at him, then turn my head away at the windowed door. Outside, he could see they have arrived in an asteroid field. A pair of X-Wing fighters come aside the freighter, and a Corellian corvette in the distance, lingering near the largest of the asteroids.
There is a snicker on the other end. "I'm sure you did. I will be waiting for you in the hanger. And don't get caught up again." He makes a light-hearted chuckle, and disconnects. The ship eases forward, with the two fighter escorts sticking by.
While going by, the padawan spots some wreckage, one being half of a Star Destroyer, with some smaller ships scavenging materials from it. Alongside were some destroyed cruisers.
The dark ship comes to the hanger, where the X-Wings leave it's side to go somewhere else where they are needed. It goes through the blue door shield , the hiss of landing gear being heard. Inside, there is a squad of New Republic troopers forming two lines with a large gap between them. And in the middle of the gap is a woman. She looked at least middle-aged, with a brown pilot vest and a white undershirt, along with cargo pants and pilot boots. In her hair is a pair of goggles. Her hair is tied back, hanging down the back of her neck.
"Stay quiet" Kyle orders the padawan as the ship lands. The door on the pilot's side hisses open, but the boy's stays closed.
"Hey! What is this?!" Kyle ignores him, and approaches the woman. Then, to the boy's surprise, hugs her. Who is this, his girlfriend? He is proven correct when they share a quick kiss. His jaw drops.
They start talking, but he can't hear a word. Then, Katarn begins gesturing towards the ship, or more accurately, towards him. The boy scowls down at them older man. The chat goes on, and on. But eventually, it ended and they both came to the ship. Although, Kyle isn't the first in. It is the woman.
"Hey there. I'm Jan, and I'm the pilot of the Raven's Claw. What's your name?" Normally, he wouldn't answer straight up. But there is just something about the calmness and friendliness of her voice that compels him to answer.
"Leon. My name is Leon" he answers with a proud voice. She gives him a comforting smile, and sits in the seat on his right, the pilot seat. "So this your ship?" he asks. She nods. Kyle, who has just reached the top, grumbles. Leon lets off a little smirk. It seems he is getting on his nerves a bit.
"She's quite fast. And for a model like this, you must be experienced" he compliments.
"Yes, I am. Finally, someone acknowledges my skills" she states, nudging Kyle's arm with her elbow. "I like him already." His grumbles become louder. Least to say, he is not happy. She begins the start up sequence, with Kyle standing behind her. Leon guesses that Kyle either has some respect for the padawan to let him continue to sit down, or he is just not bothered. The ship bounces once and shudders as it lifts slowly into the air of the hanger, and carefully reverses. Once out of the station, it pivots to the right and then instantaneously, it boosts forward towards the outskirts of the asteroid field. The apprentice keeps his gaze outside, and watches all the wreckage of the Star Destroyer and the asteroids go by. Then once there is nothing but clear space, all turns blue outside as they make the jump to hyperspace. Where they are going, he does not know.
Kyle watches the boy out of the corner of his eye. He didn't want to make him stand up with Jan around, but if she were gone for a mere second, he would be the one standing, and Kyle would be sitting in the chair. The comfortable chair. But with his partner around, he couldn't risk doing that. He could already see that the padawan has made a good impression on her. Though, that did not make him too happy. And by how fast she did, it made him curious. Did she have something to do with it? He would have to ask another time.
He stands with one arm at his side, the other on the back of Jan's chair. His gaze is through the front window, waiting for the blue to come to an end. And while they wait, he decides to begin a conversation.
"Did Luke tell you anything about what we should expect? Anything that he left out with me?" She turns her chin around and up to look him in the eye, and answers.
"If he had, don't you think I would have told you already?" Kyle has no time to answer as the ship lurches forward after exiting hyperspace. All of their attention goes to the planet ahead. A planet of plains, forests and oceans, home to the Shistavanens. They were a lupine-like species, standing on two legs and covered with fur. Their kind see other species as outsiders, and most of them stick to their planet, away from the rest of the galaxy. They are known for their claws and highly sensitive sense of smell and hearing. Yet their technology is much like the rest of the galaxy.
Jan angles the freighter towards the surface of the planet, easing the ship down to the planet. Surprisingly, there is no contact from the planet. And that puts Katarn off. Jan brings up a map of the surface, and finds a sign of civilization. A small city.
"We'll head there. Let's hope no one who wants to kill us is waiting." Kyle grins.
"With our luck, I can see that happening." The ship zooms across the sky, heading towards the city. It comes into view, and reminds Kyle of any other city that would be built in a plains-like landscape. Several towering structures, surrounded by many smaller ones. And to the edge of the city is a space port. Again, Kyle has a bad feeling as he sees no ships leaving or entering it. He can feel Jan's anxious feelings, and the padawan's.
The Raven's Claw arrives at the port and descends onto one of the landing pads. Awaiting them is a lone Shistavanen, wearing brown garments. He looks quite poor, which is unexpected of someone that manages a space port. Assuming this is the owner. Kyle is the first out, Jan following down the ladder, and lastly the boy.
"Greetings. What business are you here for?" Kyle goes to answer, but Jan beats him to it with a lie.
"We are here for some supplies. We were heading for Eriadu, and were attacked by pirates." The pad manager looks over the ship skeptically, but then something odd happens.
"Very well. I will take care of your ship as you leave to gather your supplies." Both Jan and Kyle look to each other with a confused look. And Leon has a sly grin. Upon seeing that, they know what happened. The partners nod and take their leave, then walk off to search for a shuttle nearby
Nearby is another ship. A YT-1250 class freighter, with a black paint job, yellow streaks running along the middle on the top and bottom and along the top and bottom of the cockpit. It has an attached plasma torpedo launcher in the front of the ship, as well as laser cannons on the launcher's sides for added firepower.
The captain of the ship is a Mandalorian human has a black Spacers leather outfit with a lighter black Mandalorian armor vest and leg armor, but only on his lower legs and on the sides of his upper legs. His white boots have scorch marks around the bottom of them. His shoulders have white pauldrons, with more white armor going down to his elbows. On his hands he has jet black gloves, with gauntlets on each wrist. One has a diagonal cut off on the front, while the other has a circle in the middle. His helmet is a modified Mandalorian helmet, with an upgraded breather and a flashlight on the side. On his belt, he has two holsters with a SSK-7 heavy blaster pistol in each, and several other items of use, and on his back is an odd looking rectangular-prism object. He holds the helmet at his side.
The captain of the ship is conversing with the landing pad manager. And it is not going well.
"Look, all I want is for you to take care of me ship, and let me off without pay. Okay?" he asks slowly with a rude tone. The platform manager, to the man's annoyance, shakes their head.
"Why?"
"Cause the actual owner of this establishment owes me a favor! How many times do I need to tell ya this? Are ya daft?!" Now the manager looks offended.
"I think you have the wrong platform" they growl. It starts to click it's claws together. It's eyes narrow towards the man, it's teeth gritting in it's jaws. Obviously, he is annoying it. So finally, the captain gives up. He pulls out a handful of credits from a pocket on his belt and looks at them reluctantly. He holds credits dearly to himself, and these had earned on his last job.
"Fine, 'ere." He holds out his handful of credits and shoves them into the Shistavanen's hand, and then meanders back to his own ship. Then they wave him away before walking off, counting the money in hand. Waiting at the ship is a muscular Rodian, an uncommon sight to many eyes, leaning against the outside of the ship. He has heavy blaster armor and a tactical eye piece.
"Guess what I found while you were over there chatting." The man gives an inquisitive look. The Rodian points to the Raven's Claw. Yet the captain does not what it is. "I have a suspicion something is going down soon. Something big. Because they are New Republic mercenaries...And one of them has a bounty." That brings a grin to the man's face.
"Tell the crew that we won't be back yet. It's time for some huntin'."
Now, yes this chapter is short. Two reasons.
One: Hit a writer's block.
Two: Coincides with one. School.
I hoped to expand more, but I just couldn't think of anything. So until further notice, all my stories are on Hiatus (except for the one I am posting for a friend.) So until then, see you all later. Bye!