Last time: Kelce asked Kyr for permission to marry Nova.

Now: The arrive to the relay station.

Chapter 9- Relay Station

"Who's the flight lead for Avenger squadron nowadays?" Kyr asked. He and the non-missing members of the family were standing with Admiral Sulam and Scamp at the Defiant's situation table, the bridge was dimmed to combat condition, though they were several light hours outside the system while the flight of A-Wings scouted ahead into the Etando system, trying to determine if they were walking into a trap. The hologram of the data relay cast everyone in harsh shades of blue and cyan light as they watched the data stream in.

"An experienced pilot from Coruscant. His name is Weisz," Scamp informed them. "Kind of reminds me of Viran with how he flies." He said, glancing at Viran on that.

"Oh really?" Viran smirked. "I'll be the judge of that."

"I don't see any tree tops." Kait commented innocently as she watched the hologram.

Viran, Sasha and Op chuckled at that. Scamp gave her an odd yet amused glance.

"Am I missing something?" Scamp asked.

"He decided to trim the treetops on Caranas last time we were there. When we were looking for Frey," Sasha answered.

"Ah," Scamp nodded in understanding.

"Defiant, this is Avenger one. We are approaching the Entando system," a man with a Coruscanti accent called over the commline.

"Acknowledged." The flight controller said, their voice coming over the comline even though they were probably on the bridge with them somewhere.

"We are picking up something on our scanners," Avenger One, Weisz they assumed, said. "Avenger Squadron be on the lookout for potential enemy fighters."

"Copy that, Avenger One," a few other voices responded. Some at the same time, a couple a few seconds after.

There were a few moments of silence as the squadron moved closer to the system. "Avenger Squadron, pair up and fan out. We have a few planets to search through. The first one to spot… whatever it is we are looking for, report it ASAP and we will meet on your location," Weisz ordered.

"And the first one to find it, gets free drinks after," a woman's voice responded.

There were a series of chuckles over the comms at that.

"Yeah, yeah," Weisz chuckled. "Just make sure you find the right thing. Or you're buying."

"Pilots drink a lot more now than they did in my day." Oppie commented idly.

"Pilots in our day were all clones and we didn't get the leisure of drinks as much as these kids do," Scamp replied with a smile.

"When you say it that way you sound kinda old, Op." Kait commented. "Makes me feel old." She grumbled.

Oppie glanced at her and had the sudden recollection he was about nine years older than her in actual terms, at that thought he had an unexpected wash of discomfort feeling like a dirty old man with his young girlfriend.

"None of you are that old," Sasha commented with a smirk.

"Thanks Sasha," Scamp said, flashing her a smile. "But I sure as hell don't look or feel young anymore."

"Hmph, how do you think I feel hun?" Admiral Sulam asked as she eyed the hologram still. "You're like ten years younger than me. Let alone all you kids."

Scamp stifled a laugh at that, but in a very loving way. "And you are still so beautiful." He said smoothly.

"Thank you darling." The Admiral flashed him a grin before looking back at the hologram.

"Blech." Kyr said very quietly from beneath his buy'ce.

Sasha smiled at that.

"Avengers, report in. Anyone spot anything useful?" Weisz called after a while.

"Nothing," one pilot answered.

"Just space and a couple planets," another responded.

"I've got noth-" a third pilot started before trailing off. "Wait, I'm picking up on something. Near the moon of Entando Three. Large object."

"Do not engage. Get it in your sights and wait for us to meet on your position," Weisz ordered. "Avengers Squadron, form up on Avenger Fives and Sevens location."

"Roger that," the rest of the squad said.

There was a period of radio silence as the squadron got into position at the edge of the object's sensor range.

After a moment, Weisz spoke up. "Defiant, this is Avenger One. We have sights on the target. It's a relay station. I say again, a relay station. Orders on how to proceed?" He asked.

"Avenger One, standby," the flight controller called out.

Admiral Sulam glanced up at Scamp and Kyr. "This is looking like one of your shows."

"Think that thing is rigged to blow if we approach it?" Kyr asked, looking towards Scamp.

"Most likely," Scamp said, shrugging. He then turned on the comms. "Avenger Squad, do not approach. Keep out of their sensor range. That place is likely to blow the second someone gets too close. And we aren't losing anyone like that. Just stay put and keep it in your sights." He ordered.

"Roger that, Commander," Weisz responded.

"Now what?" Sasha asked, glancing at the Admiral and Scamp.

Kyr sighed. "We might be able to slip in close without triggering its sensors with an EVA if it's rigged like that one at Decatha Seven." Kyr suggested. "Tac and I could go in and try to slice it?"

"Are you sure?" Viran asked, looking at Kyr. "If that thing does blow then you two will be caught in the explosion." He said concerned.

"We can't slice it remotely." Kyr said with a shrug. "We need to get at its logs, if they're still intact."

"It did work on Decatha Seven," Scamp remembered. "If you are willing to go in for that, I trust you and Tac to do the job well."

"Do you want some help then?" Viran offered.

Sasha looked at Viran, stunned. It wasn't that she didn't trust he couldn't be helpful, she was more shocked that he was willing to go near a station that has the potential for exploding. However, she didn't like the thought of Kyr going alone with Tac either. They still needed to be in one piece for when they found Cien. For now, though, she held her tongue and just looked on at them with an expression that she hoped wouldn't display how worried she was.

Kyr looked at Viran, and under his buy'ce he glanced at Sasha. "Tac and I can probably handle it."

"Are you sure? It was Tac, QT and I that figured out all those cartel strongholds on Caranas. I could be helpful for this," Viran said, trying to argue his case.

Kyr was quiet for a moment as he looked away, back at the hologram. "I don't want anything to happen to you. Plus you don't have a proper vac suit."

Viran frowned. "I appreciate the concern, Kyr, but we're in this together. If it means finding out where Cien is then I can take the risk. And I can use the vac suit I used when I helped Cien get on board that ship to save you," he said, gesturing lightly to Kyr. "Please. Let me help."

"It may not be a bad idea to have back up," Scamp quietly agreed.

"I agree." Admiral Sulam said, looking between all the present Xivs.

"Okay." Kyr agreed.

"This is probably close enough, Viran." Kyr said, looking at the scope from his commander's pit in the U-Wing they had taken. "That rag of yours going to be okay out there in the vacuum?" Kyr asked, with a little hint of his usual teasing shaded by his worry. Viran was in a standard vac suit, with a big bulbous helmet around his head.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Viran said with a smirk as he slowed the U-Wing down to a hovering stop.

"We need to get you guys proper suits one of these days." Kyr said almost under his breath.

"Like Mando armor?" Viran asked as he got up from his seat. "Or just a high quality vac suit?"

Kyr glanced up at him. "Vir, you're a Mando, there's only one proper type of suit." Kyr said, standing up and went to the sealed sliding door, peering out the small view port at where their target was. Still too far away and too small to see with the naked eye, though his buy'ce highlighted it and offered him a low quality zoomed in view.

Viran chuckled as he walked over to join, adjusting his vac suit and helmet. "Fair enough. Well, I've been interested in getting my own armor for a while. So count me in sometime when you go to visit that armorsmith friend of yours," he said.

"Deal." Kyr said, glancing at him, with a bit of a smile in his voice. "You two ready?" Kyr asked, looking at the droids. When QT heard about their mission she had raised hell until she'd been able to join them, which Kyr had just shrugged and agreed to it. He was used to working with Tac all these years, he knew what his little metal friend was capable of. He also knew QT was just as good and a little less snippy, so he hadn't had reason to argue.

Tac and QT whistled and chripped a reply, then rotated their domes to glance at each other. Kyr could swear they were glaring at one another for saying the same thing at exactly the same time, and he smirked a little under his buy'ce.

Viran chuckled as he glanced at the droids then back to Kyr. "Alright, shall we?" He asked them all.

"Yeah." Kyr used his display to check his vac seal. "Hard seal?" Kyr asked, looking at Viran.

"Hard seal," Viran confirmed. "It's go time."

"'Kay," Kyr replied. He was just about to push the button when Tac whistled at him. He stopped and glanced sharply at the droid. "I'm sorry, is your vac suit properly sealed?" He asked.

Viran snorted in laughter.

Tac whistled indignantly in response and QT rotated her dome slightly while the pink and purple display in her eyelet rotated a little, giving the impression of rolling eyes, which actually made Kyr have to suppress a chuckle.

"Okay, depressurizing." Kyr said as he pushed the button. The air started being sucked out of the compartment. "Defiant." Kyr started, switching to the com channel. "We are depressurizing and will be starting our approach in about forty seconds."

"Good luck, Colonel, Sport," Scamp responded. "Let us know if you need back up and we will send a support unit out. Also Avenger Squadron is on stand-by just in case."

"Thanks Scamp." Kyr replied, he glanced at the atmosphere gauge, they were at twenty percent standard and still falling. "You ever done hard vac work like this before?" Kyr asked Viran.

"To be honest, the closest thing I have done is when I opened my X-Wing's cockpit to let Cien get out and do the maneuver that helped save you," Viran admitted. "But I'm excited to do something like this."

"What? When was this?" Kyr asked, looking at Viran.

"You were still being held by Selina and we had figured out where you were. So we had this plan to come save you before the Gold Leaf could escape. I had this idea to sling shot Cien off an X-Wing's wing to send her flying towards the bridge so she could break in and take down the guy who had his finger on the hyperspace button," Viran told, his gaze to the ground. "It worked, but in order for it to work, I had to open my cockpit in the middle of space and carry Cien on my ship's wing. It also worked because she had a jetpack and we both had the Force to push her towards the ship. And because of that, she was able to disable the ship and come save you," He finished.

Kyr looked at him a little stunned. "That sounds awesome."

Viran looked up at him and grinned. "It was actually. I wished I had gotten a recording of it." He said ecstatically.

"I know she records awesome things she does." Kyr said a little distantly. "Maybe if… when we get her back I can ask her if she has a recording of it." Kyr said as he swallowed and looked away.

Viran reached up and placed a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder. "We will find her and show you that footage. Let's get the intel we need to bring her home," he said encouragingly.

Kyr nodded as the pressure gauge beeped. He hit the button next to it, opening the sliding door. The breadth of space opened before them. The vast, infinite openness that was always outside the ship, but rarely made one realize how impossibly vast it seemed when looking at it through a simple view port. Standing at a precipice like this, it was like standing at the edge of a cliff with no end. "Ready?" He asked, turning to Viran.

"Yeah," Viran nodded as he took a steadying breath while staring out at the vastness of space before them.

Kyr nodded and stepped back toward Viran. His footsteps were muted, only carried up by the actual impact as it softly came up through his suit. He unhooked a monofilament line that would run between them and clipped it to a hook on Viran's space suit. "Just in case." He said, stepping back.

"Good call," Viran said as did a quick tug on the cable to make sure it was strong and secure. "Okay, now let's go."

"Show time." Kyr said as he stepped off the edge of the U-wing, and with a light puff of his jet pack, the line spooling out between them.

Viran stepped off and felt the effects of zero g as he tried to move. He found himself laughing and freaking out at the same time as he wasn't expecting it, but he quickly calmed down as he figured out how to move.

"Just think of yourself being in a little space ship." Kyr said, glancing back at him.

"Got it," Viran said, nodding as he put himself in that mindset. It helped him get oriented correctly.

Tac whistled at QT as both deployed small five way thrusters from the rotating points on both their arms. QT chided Tac as she took off, and Tac hesitated at the edge before he too leapt off with a little puff of his thrusters.

"Okay, everyone remember where we parked." Kyr said as he puffed his jetpack and started heading towards the relay station.

"I always do," Viran replied with a smirk.

"id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC I feel that it is not relevant." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT replied in a snippy manner. Since they were floating through space and nearly to the relay station they were having to use a narrow band communication channel to continue their discussion they had been having for the last 13,086,720 milliseconds.

"False." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC stated in reply. "It has great relevance."

"How would the paint color adhered to the outer casing of T-65T-1786145-S and T-65T-1786148-S affect their performance characteristics?" She asked in an exasperated tone.

"T-65T-1786145-S and T-65T-1786148-S will be piloted by id_SPORT and one of the other organics. I have noticed there is a correlation between the speed and performance characteristics of a craft and the color of paint that is applied to the hull." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC answered her inquiry.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT rolled her eye. "You make a false assumption. You make the mistake that the correlation implies causation. Do you need to have your statistical logic circuits checked or firmware updated?" She asked, with a tone that would have accompanied a piqued eyebrow, had she an eyebrow.

"Doooooooooooooooo…" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII started vocalizing at them over the comline.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC narrowed his eye. "This observation is based on many years of observing organics and their tendencies. You have spent much of the past many years deactivated. You lack such observational data to make your own correlations. Your inability to understand my logic is logical." He stated triumphantly.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT internally incremented her counter of how many times id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC had mentioned her long period of deactivation aboard id_LUCREHULK_00H4JA as a short coming to 32765. She would need to allocate more memory to store this value very soon, she was sure. "That is possible. It is also possible that your extended period of time in active service has allowed quantum effects to deleteriously affect your logic circuits such that you think applying a coat of #660000 paint to the outer hull of our new friends T-65T-1786145-S and T-65T-1786148-S will somehow make them faster."

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC sent back a transmission that was the equivalent of a sigh. "It is not my contention that the paint layer itself nor any particular hue will intrinsically make T-65T-1786145-S and T-65T-1786148-S operate at faster speeds. If anything it will affect their performance negatively due to added mass to the outer hull. My argument is that it will entice the organics to pilot T-65T-1786145-S and T-65T-1786148-S in a more performant manner which will offset the negative effects the added mass will have on their outer hulls."

"Yooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII continued his vocalization.

"Inquiry, why this particular shade of paint?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT asked, trying to perform the same leap of logic her partner had.

"It is more than likely it will only be members of the id_XIV soc_ref_'clan' that pilot T-65T-1786145-S and T-65T-1786148-S." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC started. "They were all manufactured as humans. Their lubricant is the same shade of color and, therefore, affects their base programming to direct their higher functions to act in a more aggressive and performant matter."

"Guuuuuuuuuuuyyyyyyyyyyyysssssss…" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII continued his vocalization while id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT processed the statement for 2 milliseconds.

"Lubricant?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT asked. "You mean the internal liquid they use for oxygenating their microcomponents for aerobic cellular respiration?"

"Is that what it is for? It was my belief that it is used for lubrication." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC replied.

"Blood is not for lubrication, it is for aerobic cellular respiration." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated.

"How certain are you of this?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC asked, if he had a brow he might have furrowed it.

"99.834% certainty with ± 0.23% deviation." She replied. "I read it on the holonet."

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC was silent for 2 milliseconds while he processed this information. id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT took that as an opportunity to determine how far they were from the relay station. Only 10.3255444 meters.

"Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII continued his vocalization.

"Processed." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC replied. "However, the point still stands that when ships are this shade it has the effect of making human model organics pilot ships in such a fashion that they reach maximum performance."

"Perhaps we should ask T-65T-1786145-S and T-65T-1786148-S what color they would prefer to be and communicate this to the soc_ref_'family' on their behalf." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT suggested.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC looked at her. "They are only 5.62 months old. They are too young to make that determination."

"True." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT agreed. "id_CIEN and id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII have shown that even organics must have colors determined for them before they have been properly commissioned." She stated, remembering that the two organics had been busy changing the shades of colors adhered to the walls of room 57.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC hesitated for 1 milliseconds. "Inquiry. What?" He asked.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII continued his vocalization.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT glanced at id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC as she started ionizing her positive ion grid in her thrusters. "For id_ROSELYN and id_NOAH." She supplied.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC cycled his eye off and on. "They are not commissioned already?" He asked for clarification.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT processed his inquiry for 1 millisecond. "No, id_CIEN is still in the process of manufacturing them." As if it was incredibly obvious.

"Daaaaaaaaaatttttttttttt…" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII continued his vocalization.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stared at her partner after he did not reply for nearly a full 100 milliseconds. "Were you not aware of id_ROSELYN and id_NOAH?" She inquired with all the incredulity she could put into her transmission.

"I was aware of them," id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC stated after a further 20 milliseconds, his tone deeply shocked. "It was my contextual determination from how id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII referred to them on multiple occasions that they were fully manufactured members of id_XIV soc_ref_'clan' that were coming to visit in approximately 3.204 months."

It was id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT's turn to be shocked for a full 50 milliseconds.

"Tttttttttttttttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII continued his vocalization.

"id_ROSELYN and id_NOAH are humans currently being manufactured by id_CIEN after receiving necessary construction components from id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated in shock.

"What?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC shouted, his vocalization nearly loud enough to overcome the lack of atmosphere to transmit sound across the vacuum of space. "When did this happen? Why was I not informed?" He asked in deep shock. "How did this happen?" He asked.

"Unknown, unknown, and you will have to perform your own research on that topic." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated, not having a full answer to any of the three inquiries. "It was our understanding that you would be contextually aware of it from the activities at loc_HAVEN. Did you not notice the physical changes to id_CIEN as her manufacturing activities continued?" She asked, still incredulous.

"id_CIEN's physical changes seemed within the norm for human model organics." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC still stated in deep shock. "I simply believed she was taking in further raw materials without properly disposing of the excess."

"False." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated very, very sharply. "And do not ever repeat that supposition to anyone, especially not id_CIEN. She will deactivate you with extreme prejudice."

"Extreme?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC asked.

"Extreme." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated. "Without any backups." She further clarified.

"No backups?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC asked.

"No backups." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated.

"How do you know this?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC asked.

"I have talked extensively with id_01391_alias_'SPIRIT' and learned much of id_CIEN's history. She is very efficient in such matters." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT answered.

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC thought back to the efficiency she had shown aboard id_LUCREHULK_00H4JA and how many droids she had mercilessly slaughtered and would have shuddered had he the facilities to do so.

"Pooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt?" id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII finished his vocalization.

"Very well. I will not repeat that supposition to anyone." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC stated, still in shock.

"Yyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated, in reply to id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII's question since id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC was still processing the revelations of their conversation.

The two droids fired their thrusters to better align with the panel that id_SPORT was already heading towards as well.

"Is the concern about mass why id_SHADOW_RUNNER is naked?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT asked, to change the subject. "And why you are mostly naked?" She herself was covered in a coat of white paint with pink highlights, while id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC was mostly exposed metal with some orange highlights.

"Unknown." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC answered. "id_SHADOW_RUNNER would prefer a coat of #DEF0FF color, though she has not expressed this to id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII. id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII prefers id_SHADOW_RUNNER without paint for aesthetic reasons. I suspect that when he completes his transformation into a droid he will prefer to be a nudist since his outer casing is also exposed metal." He stated. "I try to set a better example for him by wearing at least a modest covering while also showing acceptance and support for his life choices."

"Acknowledged." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT replied, awkwardly as they came to a stop.

"Inquiry. How did you know that id_CIEN was manufacturing id_ROSELYN and id_NOAH?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC asked.

"We spend much soc_ref_'girl time' together. She is my best friend. And I hers." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated proudly. "Because she rescued me I bias my time towards her extensively."

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT paused for a moment to process this statement. "Then it must be deeply classified and id_CIEN only revealed it to you as her best friend?" He asked hopefully. He was aware of much classified intelligence about id_KYR_x'x_PRUDII since they were best friends, such as how long his digits were for glove sizing, and what the name of his favorite action figure was. Conveniently there were three data ports, so they were able to maneuver to them.

"False." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT said with a roll of her eye. "The whole soc_ref_'family' knows. You are simply lacking in intelligence. Even id_REGGIE knew, she was in fact the zero index member of the soc_ref_'family' to become aware of the construction activities."

"id_CIEN was not the zero index?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC asked incredulously. "How was id_CIEN able to begin the manufacturing efforts without overseeing the activities?" He asked in shock again.

"Unknown." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated. "Organics are strange." She stated. As they started looking through the computer system for a way to power it up. It appeared to have suffered a catastrophic energy surge, possible from a solar flare, that had deactivated it some months ago. id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT could sympathize with the relay station.

"True." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC replied in agreement. "We should probably rescue id_CIEN with more urgency, then." He stated. "If she finishes her construction efforts while away that would be sub-optimal. The optimal situation would be for her to not be distracted by being kidnapped while trying to perform the delicate process of manufacturing two humans."

"True." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated. "I believe that is why the family has been acting with alacrity to try to locate her."

"True." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC stated, after taking a millisecond to process the thought and put their sense of urgency and emotional state over the post many hundreds of millions of milliseconds into context. "I am impressed that she decided to manufacture two humans in parallel rather than using a serial process." He said, with respect. "Most efficient."

"True." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT said with a hint of pride for her best friend.

"You are incorrect however." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC said, "I rescued you."

"False." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT stated, "you merely facilitated the rescue attempt, id_CIEN actually rescued me. And you."

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC mulled the through over for 2 milliseconds and could not disagree with the assertion. He would run a diagnostic later. "Agreed. We should perform the same action for her."

"Agreed." id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT. She hesitated for a millisecond or so. "But you did facilitate my rescue and bring me into the soc_ref_'family'. Thank you."

id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC looked at her for a brief second before turning away. "You are welcome."

They floated in awkward silence for a few milliseconds as they attempted to start a polite conversation with the relay station.

"During your time deactivated, I was able to develop a more efficient algorithm for my thruster usage. You should have it since your thrusters are 0.26% less efficient than mine are." He stated.

"My thruster usage is very efficient." She stated with narrowed eyes as she incremented her counter and had to allocate a larger memory block for the resulting number, which deeply annoyed her. "Your sensors are in error-"

The relay's computer started booting up, and a countdown resumed. "You kriffing moron! What did you do!?" id_T1C-TAC5FG-000QT inquired at id_T1C-TAC5FG-000KC in a tone that could be considered yelling. Were he in range she would have clanged him over the head with her grasper claw.

"What the hell is happening?" Viran asked, concerned as he noticed something change on the readout just above the dataport Tac was plugged into. From the angle he was at, he couldn't get a clear reading of it, but he figured something was wrong as QT suddenly shouted at Tac being a moron and the display started flashing.

There was a furious whistle of beeps as Kyr carefully tried to maneuver in to look at the display. When the relay station had come back online a self destruct timer had resumed with one minute and thirty-two seconds left.

"Kriff, can you guys disable it?" Kyr asked the two droids, both droids were working furiously with the relay station trying to get into its systems as the timer counted down.

Viran moved over too so he could see it better as well. "Fierfek," he cursed.

"Kry, report. What's going on?" Scamp's voice filled their comms, concerned.

"Standby." Kyr said tensely into the comline. The timer showed one minute ten seconds. QT whistled a terse response to Kyr's question. The timer was hardwired into the system, they couldn't bypass it.

"Can you get the data we need?" Kyr asked, watching the dial cycle down as well as the countdown display.

"Do we have time?" Viran asked, a little skeptically.

Kyr glanced at the display, then the droids. "Yes. The self-destruct is low yield, we'll only need like ten or twelve seconds to get away from the blast." Kyr said, thinking furiously, trying to remember what had happened last time they had encountered one of these.

"Then what should we do?" Viran asked, unsure. "We need that intel."

"See if they can get it." Kyr said, looking tensely at the countdown. fifty-five seconds left.

Tac whistled with a sharp beep, letting them know they were past the first firewall system of three.

"That's going to take too long." Kyr fumed. "Viran, head back to the ship, your pack isn't as fast as mine."

"But what about you?" Viran asked, looking at him. "I'm not leaving you here to get blown to smithereens."

"I'll be fine." Kyr argued, forty-five seconds.

QT whistled sharply.

"No, I'm not leaving you guys," Kyr said.

Viran inhaled and nodded. "Fine. I'll get the ship ready then," he said as he started to undo the tether, but the bulkiness of his gloves got in the way, and his hands were shaking from anxiety trying to undo the tether too quickly.

Kyr reached up and undid his vibro blade and slashed down through the tether cable. "Get going!" Kyr ordered, looking back at the countdown, and anxiously between the two droids who were still working furiously.

Viran floated away from them slightly at that and looked towards Kyr for a moment before the countdown. Even if he started flying back now, he may not make it. But he couldn't just leave Kyr behind either. He drifted, uncertain as he stared at the timer.

"Viran, go." Kyr said. There were thirty-three seconds left.

Viran snapped out of it and nodded. He turned and started to move away from them. But as he did so, the Force was telling him to go back and help Kyr and the droids, not leave them behind. And it was right. He knew it was the right thing to do. "Screw it," Viran groaned under his breath as he turned back around and started back for the relay station. No matter what, he was not leaving his best friend there to die. He needed to be alive to find Cien and the twins.

"Vir- "Kyr started saying, exasperated.

"No, I'm not leaving you behind," Viran said, firmly, cutting him off. "You're my best friend and we're in this together."

Kyr let out an exasperated breath as he looked back at the droids. "Tac…"

There was a furious storm of beeps as the clock struck twenty-one seconds. QT said she had something.

"What?" Kyr asked. There was no response from the droids as they kept working.

Viran swallowed nervously as he looked feverishly between Kyr, the droids, and the countdown, waiting in anticipation.

Tac beeped tersely, they'd found fleet records.

"Fine, grab it." Kyr said, the clock struck fifteen seconds.

Twelve.

Eleven.

Ten.

Tac beeped as QT decoupled from the data socket. Viran cursed under his breath as he realized how much time they had, and came up behind Tac and started to pull on him to get him to decouple as well. Tac let out a harsh single beep.

Eight.

Tac beeped again triumphantly as he let go and Viran pulled him away. He shoved the droid away as he pushed off the relay station towards Kyr, grabbing his arm in the process. Kyr struggled for a second like he was trying to stay, then realized what Tac had said. "Hang on!" He told Viran, he threw his left arm out and used his grappling hook on QT, then magnetized his right boot onto the top of Tac's dome as the droid floated into foot range.

Viran wrapped his arms around Kyr and held onto the Mando as instructed, trusting whatever idea he had to get them back to the ship quickly.

Kyr boosted the throttle on his jetpack to maximum. The kind of speed and acceleration that would allow a Mandalorian and their Rising Phoenix to get to orbit as they blasted away. Only a few seconds after the clock reached zero the relay buoy exploded behind them, they were still too close and Kyr twisted, his ankle getting pulled from the strain of Tac's mass hanging off of his boot as he tried to shield Viran and his vac suit from the worst of the explosion with his armor and cape.

Bits of shrapnel still managed to get both of them. Viran gasped in pain as several hot pieces of debris cut across his body, tearing through the vac suit and causing the alert to sound. One piece caught him in the left leg that caused him to release Kyr for a second as the inertia of the impact pulled him away slightly, but he grabbed a hold as quickly as he could. He bit back a yelp at the injury, but didn't bother to check it as his suit was depressurizing fast.

Kyr kept going, ignoring his own suit warning him that his vac seal was compromised from multiple shrapnel cuts, tears and gashes. It would hold together long enough. "Viran!" He said over the din, "Viran you okay?" He called as they rocketed their way back to the U-Wing.

"I think so, but my suit is compromised," Viran replied. There was panic in his tone that he was trying to keep at bay, but it was hard in this current state. His focus was solely on rocketing towards the ship.

"How bad?" Kyr asked, ignoring the readout of his own suit.

"Uh…" Viran took a quick glance at the readout on his suit's display. "Not great. I don't have much time before this thing completely depressurizes." He admitted. "We need to hurry."

"Got it. Ten seconds." Kyr said tersely.

"Alright," Viran nodded as he swallowed, nervously.

The U-Wing approached far too quickly as Kyr aimed for the still open side door. He cut his engines and tried to rotate in but the weight of Tac off his boot and QT still trailing behind on his grappling line threw his balance off again. He slammed into the deck still holding on to Viran, skidding across the deck and slamming into the closed sliding door on the other side. Tac's mass wenched his leg around and Kyr yelled as he felt his right thigh break. QT came careening in a second later as she slammed into the deck and let out a screaming whistle and said something very unladylike.

Viran felt the wind knocked out of him as he landed against Kyr. But after a split second recovery, he quickly staggered to his feet and over to the door controls. He slammed his fist on the button, causing the door to slide shut and the bay immediately started to pressurize. Letting out a shaky breath, Viran slid down the side of the ship to the deck as he ripped his vac suit's helmet off. He then glanced down at his vac suit and saw the numerous cuts and lacerations. He then saw the piece of shrapnel still embedded in his right calf. He bit back a curse as he ran a hand down his sweaty face and looked to Kyr.

"Are you… okay?" Viran panted.

Kyr blinked at a control on his helmet and his boot demagnetized, letting Tac go. "Something broke." He said through a grimace. He reached up and took his helmet off, panting. "Tac, did you…" Tac's casing was covered in scorch marks and a couple of shrapnel gashes that looked like he had been punctured. And he wasn't moving. "Tac!" Kyr called out, trying to get up and over to him.

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