Private Gravity Blues

[Makko Vyres]

Starlin Rand Lief

This was not the exciting assignment Makko had hoped for. He sat down behind the Rodian dignitary and looked at the card with the list of drinks available.

The small vessel was a private liner for diplomatic staff and the rich who didn't want to pay for their own personal transport.

For the last few months Makko had been taking his training seriously. He had constructed his own Lightsaber and started to come to terms with his connection to the Force.

That training wasn't going to be tested sitting on a comfortable space liner.

---

"They've got us in a tractor!"

An interdictor had pulled them out of hyperspace just a few hours beyond Alliance space. The shadow of the destroyer had almost been on top of them.

It hadn't identified itself, but since the fall of the NIO many self styled warlords had carved out pieces of territory for themselves.

They were about to be pulled in and boarded.

 

[Starlin Rand]

Leaning back in his chair, Starlin sipped from his crystal glass. It was just juice, but it was some of the fanciest juice he'd ever drunk, and he appreciated the presentation as well as the taste.

Glancing over at the Rodian dignitary with a grin, he remarked, "That's a pretty dress. Looks good on you."

Unfortunately he didn't hear her response to his compliment, as Starlin was suddenly needled in the Force by an impending sense of danger. It wasn't immediately apparent what the source of the peril was, however. He looked around, but saw nothing amiss. Server droids continued to serve, passengers continued to dine, and...

Alarm klaxons blared. An automated voice advised passengers to return to their cabins. Starlin stood up and felt the ship lurch strangely beneath him. He recognized the telltale sensation. "Tractor beam," he announced. "Makko, we've got to get her to a safer place before we're boarded." And then they probably should, y'know, do something about that too.

Makko Vyres

 

[Makko Vyres]

"What's...a safer place?" he hissed under his breath.

Makko didn't know much about starships. His feet hadn't left Denon until he had joined the New Jedi Order relatively late for a padawan.

"Everything will be fine," he said at a normal volume for the sake of their charge. Makko leaned into the window and looked back.

He regretted doing so. Makko saw the bright white angular shape of a destroyer bearing down on them. A single volley of warning fire lanced past the window.

Their vessel shook as the tractor beam held them tight. The destroyer was run by a skeleton crew. No stormtroopers were aboard to launch the assault but a detachment of Imperial army troopers was ready to accept their surrender.

Makko stood up, sliding into the gangway. The transport was swallowed into the shadow of the hangar bay.

 

[Starlin Rand]

"What's... a safer place?"

"The salon pod," Starlin replied. "At the back of the ship. It's heavily armored. Let's go!"

He headed there, the Rodian diplomat in tow. A glimpse out the window before he took off revealed the Star Destroyer. "Feth me ten ways till Tuangsday!" he blurted, but didn't slow his pace.

Upon reaching the salon pod, he got the diplomat in along with a few other VIPs aboard the ship, then stood outside the sealed door. "Those schuttas come in here, they're not getting inside the salon pod," he said adamantly.

But the Imps weren't looking to board them. On the contrary, they were forcing the occupants of the transport to come to them. Starlin exchanged glances with Makko. "Okay, new plan. We go aboard pretending to be diplomats sent to negotiate the surrender. Don't say we're Jedi, and hide the lightsabers. Scope the place out and see what we're dealing with. Got it?"

Makko Vyres

 

[Makko Vyres]

Moff Iradeema was called a Moff because he told everyone to call him that. No one had ever handed him the rank for his actions.

The bridge was staff at half the usual levels. That was a luxury compared to much of the ship. Little by little, the systems were failing as they lacked the maintenance work and parts. Iradeema didn't have the backing of a government to keep the destroyer flying.

He believed that they had another four years before they had to consider abandoning her. In that time he would threaten, bribe and pillage his was to retirement.

"Have the squads stand by. Prepare to head back behind the fourth moon and make the call demanding random."

---

"I've got it," Makko said.

He got the idea of the plan. What he didn't understand is how - one day - he would be expected to take the lead.

The fighting didn't frighten him. He was apprehensive about using his lightsaber against a real, flesh and blood person, but that wasn't the same. He had killed people before. He hadn't explained every detail of his past, but Starlin knew that.

What frightened him was that one day people might put their faith in him. No matter how many hours of training he put in, someone might come to regret putting that faith in a Denon street rate who just happened to be born with the ability to use the Force.

The doors opened. A long, stark grey corridor lead away from their ship and into the destroyer. At the end stood a squad of Imperial army troopers, weapons raised.

 

[Starlin Rand]

With his lightsaber tucked away and all other signs of his being a Jedi carefully obscured or removed, Starlin walked forward. He held his empty hands in the air to show that he was unarmed, assuming Makko would do the same.

"Hello," he greeted the troopers. "I am the resident diplomat. This is my aide. We've come to speak to your leader."

Makko Vyres

 

[Makko Vyres]

Makko had expected the stark white armour of Imperial stormtroopers. The rag tag group of soldiers was a very different sight.

He stretched out through the Force. Starlin was remarkably calm, the Force barely reacting to him moving through it. The soldiers were a mix. Some were nervous and anxious. They were not an island of calm.

Makko kept his hands at his sides, palms facing forwards. He was following Starlin's lead.

He struggled with a lot of his teachings. Makko's relationship with the Force meant that he struggled to physically affect the world, as much as he tried. He was far better at listening, at understanding people and machines.

The lead trooper walked forwards and opened his hand to reveal a small disk. He dropped it on the floor. A blue shimmering light revealed their leader.

"I am Moff Iradeema," the tall, grey haired human said. "You speak for those on the ship?"

 

[Starlin Rand]

"I am Moff Iradeema."

Starlin fought to keep a straight face... and lost. "Moff Irredeemable?" he guffawed. "Seriously? Are Commander Nefarious, Captain I'm-a-bad-guy, and Admiral Bone-to-Pick also on board this vessel?"

"You speak for those on the ship?"

"Yes. What's this all about? You want a ransom for the diplomats on the diplomatic vessel you just captured?" Starlin did a quick scan for life forms aboard the Star Destroyer with the Force. Unless there was something blocking him, he should be able to tell the ship was being operated by a skeleton crew...

Makko Vyres

 

[Makko Vyres]

The man showed a flash of irritation, even through the hazy blue holographic.

"Correct. You're going to support my men in identifying everyone on board. Messages will be sent. A random will be paid and everyone will be allowed to leave. We will check your stocks of food and water and ensure everyone is comfortable."

At no point did he explain what would happen if they did not get paid.

A third of the crew was asleep. A small number eating and swapping shifts. There was a skeleton crew but if everyone was roused there would still be a reasonable complement.

However, there were no troopers aboard and the garrison was small.

 

[Starlin Rand]

“Pardon my bluntness, but I think you're an Ewok projecting a Wookiee-size shadow," Starlin said, suppressing a smirk. Yeah, this ship wasn't nearly as chock full of Imperial forces as it seemed. The crew appeared to be minimal, and thus far he had seen no actual troopers aboard. "You don't know who you're dealing with, Iradeema. This is your last chance. Free us, or die."

<There's a skeleton crew—oh hey, what's up Makko! It's Starlin, I'm talking to you in your noggin,> Starlin broke off, realizing belatedly that Makko might not be used to telepathy yet. <Anyway, I'm picking up only a skeleton crew. We should be able to fight our way to the bridge and give this Irredeemable guy a taste of his own medicine. Just follow my lead.>

Makko Vyres

 

[Makko Vyres]

He couldn't keep his eyes from widening. Makko tried to smooth out his expression and face the delegation.

Starlin was going to make the first move. That came as no surprise. A narrow corridor gave them an advantage. The shooters couldn't fan out and surround them.

Makko could feel the reassuring weight of his shield emitter on his left arm. It hadn't been tested in anger yet. It wasn't the same having blaster fire at the shield when he would be stood behind it.

"Or die? I could eject your freighter and cut it in half with a single torpedo. I suggest you comply," replied the would be moff.

Makko reached out through the Force. He had an affinity for technology. He could not affect their blasters. Such things were too mechanical. He was best at reaching into computers.

He found the blast doors behind the group and closed them, giving them no option for retreat.

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Or die? I could eject your freighter and cut it in half with a single torpedo. I suggest you comply."

"And I suggest you shut the feth up," Starlin replied, laughing. "Get a load of this guy, man! He's like a dude who's insecure about his size, so he buys himself a big starship to compensate. Well, I'm not impressed. Eject this, Irredeemable!"

With that, he unleashed a telekinetic wave of energy at the troops down the hall, intending to knock them off their feet. His lightsaber was in his hand, the blue blade igniting as he descended upon them, deflecting blaster bolts and leaving carnage in his wake.

Makko Vyres

 

[Makko Vyres]

He activated his shield before the first blaster bolt flew down the corridor. Makko was still learning to consistently deflect blaster bolts with his lightsaber.

A mistake would be the death of him.

After the initial flurry of blaster fire, Starlin was amongst them and sewing carnage. Makko rushed in after him.

He deactivated the tall energy shield, giving himself room to swing. He took a deep breath.

Makko darted to the left, his blue blade snapping out and down. It was a swing he had practised countless times, only on this occasion it took a soldiers arm off at the elbow.

 

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin had picked up on Makko’s less than adequate skill with blaster deflection, so he gave his Padawan as much cover as he could manage. Cutting down the last of the troops on his end, he glanced back at Makko. His apprentice didn’t seem to have incurred any serious injuries. On the other hand, he had yet to dispatch his opponent.

The soldier’s arm had been lopped off, but they were on the ground screaming. Still alive, and begging for mercy.

Starlin gave his apprentice a small window of opportunity to put the maimed trooper out of their misery. But if Makko didn’t act quickly, his master would step in and finish them off. Syd had done the same for him during his early training, when Starlin was a less skilled fighter. He remembered freezing up whenever he succeeded only in crippling his enemies rather than killing them, not sure what to do and panicking when they began pleading for their lives. Makko would learn and improve with time, but it wasn't worth prolonging the suffering of a living being while trying to force his progress.

“You good?” he asked afterwards, keeping an eye on the corridor for any other soldiers that might come running in.

Makko Vyres​