Although the YT-2400 was in a flyable state, it didn't stop several malfunctions occurring on route to Marrs destination. Several coolent leaks, faulty stabilisers and even one or two controllable fires kept the pair busy for the most part. Upon running a systems check, Marr discovered that this ship was in a far worse state than he first thought. Although the hyperdrive was no use, it was repairable at least, they only needed to get some basic parts and a safe place to make repairs.
"Let's hope there's a suitable spaceport on this world, Rusty" Marr called over to his droid companion while he tries to put out another small fire he caused. "This thing needs a major tune up when we get a chance. Any luck with those Astro-charts yet."
The droid let out a sigh in the negative.
"I suppose I should expect that." Marr replied. "We're quite literally flying blind in unknown space."
Rusty whistled back a rather uncouth remark.
"No, I wasn't referring to my sight, I was ... never mind"
The two of them sat in silence for the remainder of the voyage until they came closer to their destination. From outside the cockpit window, the world that the R5 unit picked up was coming into view. The droid activated the ships long distance sensors to try and get a reading on it while reporting back to Marr.
"So it's the only planet in this system with an active population?" Marr questioned Rusty, "7 - 8 billion? What's the ecosystem like, oceanic, volcanic? Please tell me it's not a desert world."
The droid responded.
"70% ocean, 30% land mass? Aren't many worlds like that, so it's comparable to Alderaan? Marr asked pleasantly surprised.
Rusty reassured him of its findings.
"Well, let's hope the people are nice."
As they drew closer to their destination, the scanners suddenly went off and Marr strung into action.
"Where picking up something on the long range scanners. What's happening Rusty?"
Rusty burst into a series of whistles and beeps.
"Looks like we've got some activity up ahead. Seems to be a space station in orbit around this world, along with several cruisers and a capital ship. Must be their defence force, doesn't look like there's any way around them."
The R5 unit hummed in worry.
"Don't worry, Rusty." He reassured his friend. "I'm sure their friendly, just get ready to transmit our ID codes when they ask and they'll let us through."
On board The Peak; headquarters of the Sentient World Observation and Response Department. Better known as S.W.O.R.D., one of its agents, while stationed at his console, is picking up a reading on the long range scanners. The agent, dawning a dark green jumpsuit, turns round and waves over at his sections supervisor.
"Anything wrong agent?" The supervisor asked.
"Sir, we've picked up a signal approaching our proximity." The agent informed. "I think there's a ship out there."
The supervisor leaned in to confirm the readings himself, before activating his own com-link. It didn't take long for Director Brand to join them after being summoned.
"What are we looking at? Demanded the Director.
"Unclear." Replied the supervisor, "Whatever it is, it's small and approaching the defensive perimeter."
"Put all nearby forces on standby." Ordered the Director, "If that thing gets any closer, I want it shot down..."
"Director!" The agent interrupted, "it's appeared to have stopped and ... I think it's attempting to hail us."
The Director thought for a few moments before reaching a decision. She nodded at the agent who then preceded to establish communication.
"Unknown vessel, this is Peak station, you are attempting to enter Earth space, state your business."
"Earth?" Marrs voice had a hint of bewilderment to it. "Err ... this is the ... the ... Outbounder. My ship is damaged and in need of repairs. Permission to make planet-side"
"Do you have any injured?" Asked the agent.
"No, it's just myself and one droid." Marr responded.
"Droid?" The bemused agent asked.
"My astromech droid." Marr affirmed, "he's been able to make some basic repairs, but we require use of a space port to do anything major."
There was a moment of silence while Director Brand pondered her options, before being broken by Marr again.
"I can transmit my ships ID codes now, if that'll suffice?"
The Director leaned in and responded to this stranger.
"That won't be necessary." She replied casually, "We'll have someone escort you towards hanger 21 of the station, a party will be there to meet you."
"Thank you Peak station, Outbounder out."
As the transmission ended, Director Brand activated her com-link.
"Agent Gyrich." She said, "Take a detachment down to hanger 21 and prepare to meet a guest. Follow procedure and detain them if necessary."
"Understood Ma'am"
"Detain them, Director?" The supervisor asked?
"How many ships do we encounter on a regular basis that treat us like customs?" Asked the director, "especially one claims to be heavily damaged and appears out of no where."
both agents were silent for a moment before she continued on.
"Didn't think so. Monitor that ship and be ready for anything."
The newly named "Outbounder" made its way closer towards the space station, while being escorted by a pair of snub fighters and passing by several of the patrolling cruisers. Off in the distance, a colossal vessel came into clear view. It's strange sword-like shape intrigue Marr.
"I'm guessing that's their fleets flag ship." Marr reasoned, "it seems like a powerhouse. I'd be worried if the Outbounder had to go up against something like that."
Rusty asked Marr about the naming of his ship.
"Why the Outbounder? It's just my way of honouring the Outbound Flight." Marr responded, "Also it's like we're taking a little piece of it with us wherever we go now."
The fighters guided the to the stations hanger and the pair began making landing preparations. As Marr guided the ship into the bay, Rusty lowered the landing gears, allowing the ship to make a successful landing in he hanger. After securing the ships systems, Marr looked out of the cockpit window and noticed a meeting party approaching the ship.
"Well, time to meet our hosts." Marr said, "Maybe it's best you stay on board for now Rusty."
He got to his feet and and his way over to the loading ramp as it began to lower. Remembering that his eye sockets were still exposed, Marr hastily ripped a piece of cloth from the end of his robes and wrapped it around his eyes. He raised his robes hood over his head and descended down from the Outbounder and into the hanger bay. A gruff looking 30 year odd looking human man was waiting for him, while accompanied by 4 armed agents. Marr took in their dark green jumpsuits and equipment and quickly sussed that this was a security team. Carefully he made his way closer towards the group and stood before them.
"Welcome to the Peak, I'm Agent Gyrich of S.W.O.R.D." the agent announced, "now, what exactly is your business here?"
"Greetings Agent Gyrich." replied Marr, "I am Jedi Knight, Javif Marr. My ship is heavily damaged and with your kind permission, I required fuel and repairs to my ship."
The agent gave Marr a very perplexed look, "I'm sorry ... Jedi?"
The Jedi looked to the other agents and felt the same feeling of puzzlement radiating from them as he did with Gyrich.
"Have you not heard of the Jedi Order?" Questioned Marr, "What about the Galactic Republic?"
The agent merely shook his head, stunning the young Jedi.
"I see, it's just as I feared." Marr looked back towards the agent. "If it's at all possible, I'd also like to speak to someone in regards to finding my bearings. I'm not really from here and not familiar with this area of space."
"So your lost?" Agent Gyrich said with a inquisitive tone. "How about you come with me and we can have a little chat."
"My ship?"
"Oh, it'll be safe here."
Next thing the Jedi knew, he was sitting alone in what clearly is an interrogation room. He sat behind the single table, the only other piece of furniture in the room and looked up towards the wall mirror opposite him, feeling through the force the presents of the beings on the other side. He could sense that his lightsabers were there too, Marr begrudgingly handed them over, along with his com-link and other items. Luckily he could tell that his "hosts" had no idea what they were. He wasn't restrained in anyway but he spent the last hour answering the same questions over again.
Suddenly the door opened and a new face walked in. A young, short blonde haired human women, wearing the same uniform as the rest of them. She sat down in front of Marr, not looking up from the data pad she was holding and waited a few seconds before speaking.
"I'm Agent Danvers, and I need you to answer a few questions." She spoke in a matter of fact tone and continued to not look at Marr.
"Haven't I answered enough of your questions?" Marr frustratedly responded, "I have cooperated in good faith and only wish to be on my way. I am no threat to you."
"And where is that exactly?"
"I don't know ... I don't even know where exactly I am in this part of space. I was hoping to receive some intel from yourself, but that doesn't seem to be happening."
"You appear out of nowhere, don't know where you are, won't tell us where you came from and feed us this BS story about an order and galactic wide government that we conveniently have no records of."
"Everything I have told you is true." Marr calmly explained. He was beginning to like this woman less with each passing second.
"Do you know what I think? I think your the poorest excuse of a Skrull spy I have ever seen."
"A Skrull?"
"Don't play me for a fool!"
She stands up sharply and leans over the desk, looking down at Marr. The young Jedi sensed a great power emanating from her, unlike anything he had encountered before.
"I am not trying to deceive you in any way." Marr forced out. "I am only wanting to..."
Suddenly the woman let out a burst of energy that blasted away the furniture and knocked the Jedi to the ground. She walked over and lifted him up by the throat with one hand and held him up against the wall. Marr gasped for breath as the womans grip tightened and her body began to glow.
"You gonna tell me everything I want to know." She threatened, "even if we have to take apart that ship and that little robot friend of yours too."
Marr shallowed his breathing, calling upon his Jedi training. He knew where his weapons were and how many threats were nearby. He opened is mouth slowly.
"Something you wanna say Skrull?" Agent Danvers asked while loosening her grip slightly.
"I am one with the force and the force is with me."
"Huh?"
Marr unleashed a wave of force energy, knocking the agent off her feet and sending her crashing threw the mirror behind her and onto the ground. The other agents on her side scrambled to draw their weapons, but Marr reached out through the force and called his lightsabers to him, catching one in each hand.
"Set to stun! Take him down!
The agents paused in hesitation as the Jedi ignited each saber, the light of the orange and yellow blades illuminating the room. Marr took his chance and leapt through the shattered mirror. He used his sabers deflect the stun blasters as the agents opened fired. They tried to encircle him, but the Jedi proved to be too fast for them, especially in this tight space. Marr then used the force to pull the blasters out of their hands and used his lightsabers to destroy them one at a time. Soon they started to rush him, but Marr merely manoeuvred around them and used the force to knock the agents back and into the walls behind them. It didn't take too long for Marr to take his adversary down and he wasted no further time to make his escape. Marr used the force to break down the door and hurried out, grabbing the rest of his gear on the way. As he left, Agent Danvers recovered from her daze and activated her com-link.
"Code blue, code blue. Intruder in sector 2, take down with extreme prejudice."
In a different section of the station, a long dark haired woman is casually walking down a corridor before receiving the internal message.
"Jessica, he'll be heading to hanger 21. You cut him off and I'll catch up to him."
"Copy that Carol." The agent responded, "Don't go to hard on him now."
she chuckled before heading off to her target.
Marr turned round a corner, and hurried his way down a corridor while contacting his droid.
"Rusty, prep the ship for take off!"
The droid responded in a fury of beeps an whistle.
"We've outstayed our welcome."
Marr was interrupted by a group of S.W.O.R.D. agents appearing ahead of them. They open fire, but the Jedi ignited his lightsaber and began spinning the blade in front of him in a defensive manoeuvre. Blocking and deflecting every stun blast as he continued to move forward. When he was within range, Marr used the force to close the hallway door in front of the agents, cutting them off and used his lightsaber to damage the door console, locking it. Marr then returned to his conversation with Rusty.
"They're trying to cut me off, I'll be at the ship shorty."
Rusty informed him of some complications of his own.
"If they're guards stationed outside the ship, then I'm gonna need you to take care of them."
the droid then made a ... concerning suggestion.
"that's a little brutal, just incapacitate them as best you can then get the ship ready."
He switched his com-link off, while reminding himself to take a closer look at the droid's circuitry next chance he gets. He turned around, only to find himself face to face with the same agent from his interrogation. Agent Danvers golden aura was once again surrounding her and to Marrs surprise, floating in the air.
"Your not like most humans are you?"
"That was some trick you did earlier." Agent Danvers spat out as she cracked her knuckles, "But don't worry, I've got a few of my own.
"I do not wish to fight you." Marr pointed his lightsaber towards the strange woman. "Stand aside and let me leave."
Agent Danvers smirked, "Buddy ... You're not going anywhere."
she holds up her arm and fires an energy blast from her hand, taking Marr completely by surprise. Reacting quickly, Marr leapt to one side while using his sabre to deflect blast. Danvers rocketed towards the Jedi, who countered by using the force to push the agent back several feet. Danvers immediately responded by firing a few more blast towards Marr. However the nimble Jedi bobbed and weaved around the blasts as he tried to close the distance between them.
"Stay still you little...!"
Marr had reached Danvers and once again used the force to push her back. Getting angry, the S.W.O.R.D. Agent let out a two handed energy beam towards Marr, who used his sabre to block the beam head on. The two of them became locked in a in a stale mate as Marr desperately tries to hold off the beam as Danvers continues the attack.
"That little light stick isn't gonna hold forever, surrender and... OWW!"
Something struck her on the forehead, a small piece of debris from seemingly nowhere.
"Did you just throw a..."
Suddenly tiles were being ripped off from the wall and flung towards her. Since she was locked in the beam, she couldn't avoid them. At first she was able to take the hits, but the chunks of debris kept getting bigger, until Danvers was struck by a large metal pipe. This broke her concentration, giving Marr the opening he needed. Using the force, he levitated Danvers and slammed her into the ceiling, holding her in place.
"Put me down!"
"if you insist."
He proceeded to slam the Agent onto the ground and charged up enough force energy, before unleashing it towards her, knocking the agent far across the hallway and crashing through a wall. Covered with debris, Danvers picked herself back up quickly, only to see that her target had disappeared.
"Son of a..., Jessica is never gonna let this down."
After evading several more guards, Marr managed to make his way back towards the hanger bay where the Outbounder is located. As he entered inside, he saw several agents lying unconscious on the ground, in front of the ships loading ramp. From the looks of their uniforms, some of them had burn marks as if they had been shocked on a hi-voltage. At the top of the ramp, Marr noticed Rusty waiting for him.
"Well you certainly kept yourself busy." Marr called up to his droid friend, only to be met with a series of ecstatic whistles from Rusty. "At least you didn't kill them."
"Lucky for you!"
The Jedi turned around towards the source of the voice. A slim, tall, dark haired human stood before him while accompanied by a squad of agents. Each one of them aiming their weapons towards Marr.
"Because if you had, I wouldn't be offering you this last chance to surrender."
"You except me to surrender? Marr aghast, "with my ship sitting right there?"
"Don't be foolish." Replied Agent Drew, "You'll never make it planet-side, the Damocles automatic turrets will shoot you down in seconds. So you can surrender now, or have us dusting up your remains in the atmosphere."
The two of them stood in silence for a few moments, each one trying to size the other one up. Marr could feel the determination radiating from this women. But he knew what needed to be done.
"Rusty." He called over his shoulder, "Take the controls."
Energetically, the droid does what he was asked and made his way to the ships cockpit. As the Outbounder began to lift off, Marr ignited his lightsaber and blocked the incoming fire from the S.W.O.R.D. Personnel, Agent Drew however fired several bolts of bio-energy from her hands. Marr managed to evade their projectiles before slamming his hand onto the ground and sent out a force shockwave to knock everyone onto the ground. With the exception of Agent Drew, who managed to leap high into the air to avoid it. She latched onto a nearby wall, before leaping down right in front of the Jedi. The S.W.O.R.D. Agent spun kick Marr in the head, but he managed to catch her ankle just in time with his free hand.
Not wanting to harm is opponent with his lightsaber, Marr deactivated it and immediately switched to the unarmed Teräs Käsi fighting style. The two fighters engaged blows with each other, striking with their firsts, elbows and feet. It didn't take long for Marr to control the fight, since it was clear that Agent Drew was caught off guard by this alien martial art. After successfully throwing his opponent to the ground, Marr force leapt onto the Outbounders ramp and ran inside.
"Rusty! Get us out of here now!"
Just as the ship was about to leave the hanger, Agent Drew got back to her feet and flung a tracking beacon onto the hull of the ship in the nick of time. She watched the ship fly away before turning to help her fellow agents.
"Carol is never gonna let me hear the end of this."