On the Trial of Legend: I Need Someone Who Can Read.

[Kira Vaal]

No matter where in the galaxy Kira went she always seemed to find herself returning to Lothal. The planet of rolling plains and small settlements forever holding a place in her heart. After all to a displaced Corellian like her, Lothal was as much home as anywhere.

There was just something about the planet that kept her calm and sane. It allowed her not to worry about the galaxy and the way it always seemed to fall in on itself; instead allowing her to indulge in her passions rather than finding the money to survive. Raien’s little adventures had kept her side tracked for sure, but with her ship landed and powered down everything but the task at hand filtered away.

“Kira. You return?!” The broken basic of an elderly Duros erupted from the small farmstead that neighboured her ships landing place. “I thought you would be gone far longer than this.” Old D’jak. An adventure past his time, and Kira Vaal’s closest friend.

“I promised I’d be back D’jak.” Kira moved forward and gave the Duros a hug, feeling the stare he had suddenly given the ship and the remaining two departing from within. “I picked up some friends—“ Kira took a glance back towards the droid and the red skinned Messassi who was carrying a large crate by himself down the ramp. “—Their a bit unusual, but harmless. I promise.”

“I trust you Kira.” A smile was all the evidence she needed. “You wouldn’t believe what I have been doing in your absence—“ D’jak began to go the pale purple he always did when he got excited. “—Tracing the last known angles of the Lost Falcon. I made some new theories towards the resting planet. A friend of mine at the university still thinks it may have—“

“I can one better you old man.” Kira smirked pointing behind her towards the crates that were being removed from the ship. “I got the droid.”

Silence.

“W-w-what? The droid?” D’jak seemed confused. “It’s real?”

“As real as you or me.” Kira put her arm around his shoulder. “Just like we thought, he’ll need some fixing up but damn, I found him. Now all we need is your star charts.”

“Ah yes.” D’jak smiled. “My star charts. Quick, bring them inside. We must look at this discovery with all due haste and then, yes the star charts.”

 

[Kira Vaal]

D’jak had a small workshop. No more than a bit of floor space and some tools, but for Kira’s plans it was perfect. She had managed to get the crate into the middle of the floor with the help of Threxaj and was now nursing a pulled shoulder as D’jak himself and C-3PX came shuffling in through the durasteel door attached to the side of the unit.

“Professor.” Kira gave the Duros a nod and waved a hand towards the crate that was creating quite the sense of anticipation throughout the group, the rusted metal casing holding a secret that had been hidden for nearly five hundred years. “Would you like the honours?”

D’jak stepped forward quietly and Kira couldn’t help but think that if his race had been capable of sweating that hi forehead would have been drenched rather than the deceivingly calm appearance he projected. This after all was something he alone had worked towards for decades in his youth and knowing that it was there at his finger tips; even Kira couldn’t imagine how that felt. “If you insist Kira.” He was trembling. “If you insist.”

The lid was jimmied open. Hundreds of years causing the electrical motors to fail in their assistance and require a bit of effort to move aside with a mechanical groan. Kira found herself on her tippy toes trying to glance in the box from her distance, the curiosity becoming almost too much for her.

“Great Force.” D’jak’s trademark expression of shock. His hands trembled as they rubbed the back of his leathery head and a smile began to stretch from ear to ear. “It’s really real.” He flicked a clasp and allowed the edges of the crate to fall away.

“Oh my…” C-3PX muttered as the contents were revealed.

The most unusual droid now sat alone where the crate had been hiding it. Deactivated and looking worse for wear but to Kira it couldn’t be more perfect.

 

[Kira Vaal]

“Threxaj can you just —“ Kira was at wits end. For three days D’jak, Threxaj and herself had got up at first light and went to work on the restoration of the antique droid without any real progress. Worse yet Kira had just walked in and found that the Messassi had taken everything apart again and was complaining that technology was a waste of his time. “—leave me with it.”

Threxaj left muttering angrily beneath his breath his fists clenching to release his tension leaving Kira alone for the first time with the disassembled droid. It’s parts were scattered across the floor, panels and wires snaked their way across the rubbed clean durocrete and no where within the mess was any clue to getting the little guy to work properly.

“Alright.” Kira who was wearing a simple white shirt and flight pants moved to floor and sat cross-legged amongst the scrap. Taking up what looked like a processing unit and a power connection she began to idly play with them connecting them into different sockets in the hope of a clue. “You know Mr. Droid you’re being rather persistent.” She was rewarded with a click as the processor clicked cleanly into the power unit. Next up was a small cpu looking device. “We all realise that five hundred years is a long time to have slept and I know how Threxaj gets if we wake him up from a long sleep, but I just—“ She sighed and closed her eyes as the cpu seemed to not click in where it was needed. “—Need you to work.”

A low hum suddenly came from the pieces in her hands, the cpu having slid between a gap in the processor by a will of its own it seemed. Kira opened her eyes and looked down at the dull light that was emitting within her hands.

Boop, Boop, Boop.

“What?” Kira’s eyes went wide as the unit began to make noise. Slow and winded at first but soon it became more coherent and in-tune. “THREEPE!” She called, not wanting to move in case something broke. “THREEPE! QUICK!”

“Yes Mistress Kira.” The shuffling noise of the protocol droid’s feet came into the workshop. His receptors falling onto Kira as she held the still beeping unit. “Oh my!”

“It works.” Kira almost was close to tears. “It works yeah?”

“Y-yes Mistress Kira.” C-3PX shuffled closer. “I believe he is trying to talk to us?”

“What is it saying?” Kira looked down at the simple interior parts, nowhere near resembling an actual droid.

“I am R-zero-L-three.” C-3PX moved closer again. “Thank you for returning me to function. Oh my goodness. You can do that?”

“What, what can he do?” Kira quizzed the droid.

“He’s going to tell us how to put him back together.”

 

[Kira Vaal]

A series of almost angry beeps and deeper bops came from the droid head that was sat on the nearby workbench, the head itself seemingly worse for wear with wires draped from every open hatch and sparks flying from where D’jak was currently welding the rear of it’s panelling.

“Mistress Kira.” C-3PX muttered, his words the only way that the small group and the droid designated R0-L3 or ‘Rollie’ as he had affectionately been named had so far been able to communicate. “He states that if you continue with the hard handed approach of attaching the servos together he will have to enquire for new ones—“ C-3PX seemed to stumble on his words before looking back at Rollie’s head. “—Oh dear, I’m not saying that. It would be quite rude.”

“Just say it Threepe.” Kira lifted her own welding mask and gave both the protocol droid and the ‘whatever’ he was droid a stern look. “Because I’m sorry but I don’t have the tender hands of a droid.”

“He states that he would have to send you back four hundred years to find parts for him as he is rather more precious than any of us.” A chorting series of beeps came from Rollie’s head giving the clear impression he at least found it funny. “He is rather correct though.” Clearly Threepe didn’t understand Kira’s eyebrow raise as a warning to be quiet. “He’s quite unavailable in this era, I checked the holonet. There are no other records of anything like him.”

“Thanks.” Kira tapped down her mask again and began to reinsert the cylinder wheel into the perfect sphere body that was currently the remaining part of Rollie that wasn’t completed. “I appreciate it Rollie I really do, you know it’s not like I saved you or anything.”

Another series of chorting beeps.

“He says—“

“I know what he said Threepe. I know what he said.”

 

[Kira Vaal]

“It’s now or never professor.” Kira shrugged as the Duros fell into line with her and Threxaj at the front of the workshop. For two and half months they had worked endlessly on the small droid that was in front of them, several recent trips into the main settlement on Lothal had seen Kira able to get hold of some key upgrades that she had deemed necessary to allow Rollie to have complete access to his original body and mainframe.

R0-L3 was currently down powered, sat in the middle of the floor awaiting Kira’s final piece that should maintain the as yet unstable power supply and allow ‘Rollie’ to keep a steady and safe energy output. D’jek had requested that he be the one to activate the droid, Kira may have found it but it had been his life long work that had allowed it’s discovery. Kira politely had allowed it, after all who was she to tell a professor no.

“Activating the droid now.” D’jek spoke like he was being filmed for archives, even though there was no camera present. No point destroying his moment though. His fingers trembled as he clicked the chip into a small attachment module on the side of Rollie’s Spherical chassis and with a solid lock pushed it into its housing.

Silence.

Cautious eyes were glanced around the workshop, each wondering what had gone wrong. Had it been Kira’s convertor array, D’jek’s lighting grid or had Threxaj just broken something? Yet still through all of the thoughts silence still prevailed.

“Oh Dear.” C-3PX muttered as he shifted over towards R0-L3. “I believe you need to switch him on Master Professor.” The droid hit a particular panel with his own golden hand which caused a dull hum to sound from the interior of the spherical droid. A series of lights began to flash across his dome and finally the dome itself began to move. The photoreceptor moved from each one of the others in the room before moving to the next. A series of low pitched beeps sounded and the droid rolled forward and backwards several times with the wirr of interior gears working properly for the first time in five hundred years. “He says he is operating at optimal efficiency.”

Claps and high-fives were exchanged between Kira and D’jek, Threxaj being to serious for such affairs of celebration. Rollie wizzed around the room on his now completed bodywork, his whistles and beeps creating quite the happy signal.

“Awesome now we can get him to read these star maps.” Kira announced happily.

“Um about those—“ The Duros broke the mood instantly. “—I uh, sold them. To a guy called Reom out on the Wheel.”

“You what!”

 

[Kira Vaal]

“Look I can give you fifty credits.” Kira was close to begging point now, these damn merchants had always brokered a hard deal.

“I said two hundred and that is final, now if you’re not going to pay scoot kid.” The Rodian waved his hand with an aggressive touch to it towards Kira who gritted her face and turned away from the store, clearly the owner didn’t know a easy sale when he saw one.

“I could kill him and you could take the item.” Threxaj stated as they continued on down the main market street. “It would be easy, like squeezing fruit.”

“Sometimes Threxaj—“ Kira gave the Messassi a solid stare. “—You scare me.” A series of beeps next to her gave credence to Rollie backing her up on her point. “See even Rollie agrees. Murder is still murder.”

“What if I want it more than him, or I have greater need of it.” Threxaj requested. “Surely then murder is just aid towards necessity.”

Kira couldn’t believe she had actually just heard what she had. “No Threxaj. Still Murder.”

“What about this Reom. We plan to murder him?”

“No Threxaj we don’t.” Kira stopped walking and turned to the Messassi. “I need to get out to the Wheel, buy the charts back off him and that is it. No murder.” Threxaj actually looked disappointed at this revelation. “So for now just be quiet and help me get the rest of these groceries.”

MEANWHILE AT D’JEK’S FARM

“This is the place?” The Devaronian asked of the Aqualish who stood next to him. “You are certain?”

“Yes. The treasure thief came here Captain.” He had pointed his finger towards the small craft that was situated at the edge of the farm. “See her ship lays in berth.”

“Good work Theom.” Captain Gideon Suwanee praised his tracker, it had only been a matter of time until they found her after all. The foolish girl having stolen from the most notorious pirate this side of Hutt Space. “Now let us go and rectify our misunderstanding.” Gideon swung his arm in a motion towards the farm, twenty or so pirates and mercenaries moved forward with his order. He would deal with this girl once and for all.

MARKET STREET

“Mistress Kira, Mistress Kira!” C-3PX came shuffling up to Kira just as she had finished loading up the last of the Bonga Fruit into one of the bags carried by Threxaj. “I found you.”

“Woah, Threepe! You’re meant to be at the farm.” Kira’s eyebrow rose.

“The pirates Mistress Kira!” His arms were raised high in alarm and suddenly all ears were on him. “They came and they burnt it all.”

“Pirates?” Kira shook her head. “What are you taking about Threepe. What Pirates?”

“Captain Gideon. He tracked you down.”

Kira dropped the fruit. “Professor—“

“I’m sorry Mistress Kira, he is…Dead.” C-3PX stated with sadness in his tone. “They are heading towards town in search of you. They are quite the hunters.”

Kira had to think fast, she had to make a move in order to protect herself and her friends but most of all R0-L3. “Threxaj…you take Threepe. Run, head for Raien’s last known location. You should be able to get aboard one of the local bulk freighters at the docks.”

“I am not leaving you Kira of Vaal. I swore an Oath.”

“To protect me! This is how you protect me Threxaj. Run!” She looked down at Rollie. “I’ll go with Rollie and head out as far as I can to loose them. Hopefully someone on this rock has a decent ship. We’ll come find you two when we can.”

“Mistress Kira I think this is very unwise—“

“We can’t think about things.” She gave Threxaj a worried look. “You understand don’t you?”

“Yes Kira of Vaal. I understand.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her, a move that took her by surprise and she sunk into it. “I wish you luck. Until we meet again.”

“Until we meet again.” Threxaj turned and moved away with C-3PX through the crowd. “How come I feel like this is the last time I’m going to see them?” Rollie gave some somber whistles and beeps before nudging her leg. “Yes of course. We’ll head to the cantina someone there will have a transport. I hope.”


She pulled her hood up over her head and together with the rolling droid made her way towards the closest Cantina in search of a fast way off the planet…

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Kaia Starchaser was not so happy about being her father’s daughter, but really, it did tend to happen that way, didn’t it? She was a Corellian, she was raised on board an Imperial warship by Force using Imperial fighter pilots. The girl knew a few things. Really strong with a sniper rifle, not so much with a fighter, but the youngest of the Starchaser clan did have a few things to prove, and that meant she was trying to do right by the galaxy, and not just by her father. Sure, backstory, but the girl needed to get her baggage out before anything else would happen.

She was heading to Lothal, a bit of research, really. She heard the world was important for the Jedi once upon a bye, and Kaia was trying to follow the light side very close. What with her father reaching the dark so much, according to stories, and her brother just… not caring. But here she was, landing the Wandering Star on Lothal, there were a few supplies and about a half dozen people that were going to start working things for the Underground. It was a simple task, just observing, and watching the planet in case the Sith came around.

Simple cells were nice, and she was still pretty untested with the Underground, that meant for simple missions.

With the crew disembarked, the Starchaser made her way down the street, lightsaber on her hip, and the Hegemonic Automaton Z7 droid following behind her. A bit modified, more a companion bot at this point.

As she was in the Underground she had her mission, it was done, now she was free. Next step? Be a decent Warden of the Sky. Maybe someone needed transport. Not that she could drink in the cantina, but it was nice to get a feel for a world.

Find something interesting.

 

[Kira Vaal]

The cantina was just that, a cantina.
While not a shady as those you may have found on less decent planets, it still attracted those who were looking for the deal of a lifetime, or were out of there luck. So for Kira it just seemed to be the best place for her right now as she hunted down someone or something to get her off this planet as quickly as she could.

“I can take you as far as Tatooine.” A stylish human said with a smirk, “Maybe further if you know how to pay sweetheart.” His teeth were like ivory, the way the glistened in the dull light just seemed unnatural. Unnatural enough to make Kira grimace.

“I’ll be fine thank you.” She answered and moved on down the bar towards the next piloty looking creature. “I need transport, can you provide?” This time it was a Trandoshan, big and brutish. “I can pay.”

“Eight thousand credits.” He snapped.

“No a hundred.” Kira focused in on his head, mentally projecting the words towards his brain. Raien had mentioned she knew how to touch the force, as much as she hated it. Wasn’t manipulation something a Jedi could do? She even through in a little hand wave just to be sure. “A hundred will do fine.”

“No eight thousand you little pest.” The Trandoshan returned to the bar and growled.

“Fine.” Kira turned away and looked out at the cantina full of people. She had to find someone and fast, for all she knew Gideon was already on her trail.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Kaia was taught how to work in and around cantinas for a long time, since she could walk and be viably seen as a crew member for a freighter. Not a spice freighter, that cover was so 1977, or like 0 ABY, whichever, but just a cargo ship that was looking to move passengers and their cargo from world to world. It gave the Dawn Treader’s resupply boats a bit of cover when they were raiding old Imperial supply depots and weapons caches. They then had a reason to get onto a few different planets. It was a smart move.

And letting her get into the cantina, that gave her the knowledge of how they worked, how the politics went. It seemed like people always knew the best ones to go to in order to get… well, anywhere else. Some worlds she couldn’t blame people for wanting to vacate, but others? It wasn’t a bad place.

Making her way up to the bar, she ordered a corellian brandy and gave a look that said it wasn’t worth checking her ID. Not that most places did. She was… well, not really old enough, but she’d sip it, for ambiance. And it gave people a reason to not talk to her, she was busy. Well, the ones that were just going to bother her. She could hear the girl looking for a flight. Eight thousand? Where was she looking to go?

The dark-haired-and-tattooed Warden of the Sky waited, when the other girl, couldn’t be much, if any, older than Kaia, came by she spoke up. “Where are you looking to go?”

Always the first question.

[member="Kira Vaal"]

 

[Kira Vaal]

“Where are you looking to go?

Kira spun around taken by surprise at the voice and was met by a dark-haired stranger who was probably no older, if not younger then herself. “I—“ She gave her a proper look over, scraggly was a good way to explain her, but none the less there was something about her that gave Kira a warmer feeling then most. It was like being near Raien, just less cold and dark. “—I need to get to?” Where was it she needed to go? Far, far away was the answer, but how could she possibly put it into words. “Um, funny thing is. Don’t know and right now don’t really care. Just away.” She made a motion with her hand like a ship taking off.

The sound of an opening door brought a wave of air in from outside and Kira nearly squealed as she almost made eye contact with the Aqualish who had entered. She put her back to the door and slid into the seat next to Kaia oblivious to the colour draining from her face. “Look; I can pay. I just need to get out of here. Preferably without four arms who just walked in from seeing me.” She did a discreet nod backwards and subconsciously had already placed her fingers around the blaster at her hip.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

She never intentionally worked to take people by surprise, be honestly, Kaia had scored better on some of the Nightstinger skills than the Warbird skills. Odd for a Starchaser, better with a sniper rifle and stealth than a starfighter and warhead launching, but it was what it was. She still could astrogate better than most, and better than her older brother, so she was always on a ship, flying from here to there, but as much as she hated being on the ground, if she had her rifle, she was happy and in her zone. So long as there were no lizards.

Or snakes. They were slimy.

Even though she knew they weren't.

She bit her lip, giving the other one, [member="Kira Vaal"], a serious once over. Oh? Just needed to get away? That was... interesting. And she could understand. Kaia might not be that worldly, but there were at least a dozen reasons to run and never look back. She could see the anxiety in the other's face, didn't need the Force for that. The tattooed wannabe Jedi looked over Kira's shoulder and nodded.

"We can talk fee later." Her eyes darted back and forth. "Lets worry about getting out of here." She was starting to go through a few ideas. "What's he want?" Maybe she could lie, or... they were similar size...

 

[Kira Vaal]

What did he want?

“My head is an appropriate answer I suppose.” Kira responded under her breath fully aware that her eyes lingered on the droid next to her for a touch to long. “Him as well. Apparently they like old droids.” She had unfastened the strap on her holster by now, the easy access to the blaster making her feel slightly more calm.

The grunt in question was alone, or at least appeared to be. Who knew how many more were stood outside the front door of the cantina waiting for their little scout. He paused at a table near the far end of the room and pulled the hood down on a Twi’lek who had her back to him. He gave out a grunt and moved on to the next booth.

What was the best angle? Sneak out, bluff it or just down right shoot him. The latter was far becoming more and more promising as he began his rounds on the other end of the bar. It was then Kira saw it, a small door at the back of the cantina itself leading force knew where. It was a risky move, but it would have to do.

“Follow me.” She whispered to [member="Kaia Starchaser"] before moving away from the bar and slipping between two burly aliens whose conversation had started to get slightly heated. A grunt from behind her gave indication that the pirate had seen her move and wasn’t going to let her get away that easy. “Quickly.” The door opened in front of her.

“Oh frell…”

Her eyes met with the Rodian in front of her, a cautionary glance that seemed to last forever. She froze to the spot before the panic set in. “You?” A blaster was raised, but Kira had got there first her own shot missing the Rodian but sending him scattering for cover. The entire Cantina answered with blasters firing left, right and centre.

Her hand moved backwards and grabbed Kaia’s wrist pulling her hard towards the door which was still open and didn’t stop until they had both fallen out onto the alleyway behind the cantina. Rollie was with them a second later, his quick thinking causing the door to seal behind them.
“Well that was close.”

“STOP!” Three pirates had appeared at the other end of the alley and were already running up it towards the merry little band.

“I swear I’m not usually this popular.” Kira called out as she started running in the opposite direction hoping that her new found friend and droid would follow.

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Oh, she was in deep then. Kaia turned back to her companion and bit her lip. That was not going to do well at all. Turning her head, she looked down at the droid. Ancient, right? She thought so. She could say the canon line of ‘what’s so important, what’s he carrying’ but she figured it wasn’t technical readouts of a battle station… though one never knew for certain. Kaia had left her rifle on the ship, but she did have her lightsaber, should things start to go down that path.

She didn’t need to be told twice. The dark haired wannabe Jedi followed [member="Kira Vaal"] through the group, between the aliens, waiting and looking. And that was when the firing started. She heard the first blaster shot, Kira’s go off and her hand was on her lightsaber, and she was reaching out to the Force, looking for danger, and getting ready to defend herself and her new cargo.

“Everyone’s out to get you today.” She murmured as the other pirates came around the bend. Terrific. Just great. And Kira was running. Kaia took a second, and reached out to the pirates. She could catch up with Kira, and let her know what cargo hold. Hell, she had her own droid that was turning to move with Kira, they’d be going to the appropriate docking bay.

But the girl activated her lightsaber, blocking a few of the bolts, and sending two into the leg of one of the pirates. Taking a few steps back, she used the Force to knock over a speeder’s trailer, spilling contents of what may be biowaste into the street.

Right, they were leaving now. Her ship was going to be activated by her droid, but she was the only one that carried the activation code for the engines. No stealing her home.

 

[Kira Vaal]

Somehow, somewhere the trio lost the pursuing pirates.
Kira came to an abrupt stop and leant against the wall of the alley way they had found themselves within, her chest heaving heavily through the laboured breath from so much running.
“You didn’t mention you were a —“ She swallowed hard trying to maintain steady breathing “—Jedi.” She gave a nod towards the weapon on the other woman’s belt. “Usually a pretty important piece of information that.”

She sunk to a squat as a stitch began to form in her side. ‘Rollie’ continued down the alley a touch as they spoke, clearly more curious about what was beyond then talk about Jedi and such what.
“Look—“ Kira rubbed her ribs hard. “Thanks for all that, not many people would go so protective over a stranger.”

She stood and extended her hand. “Kira.” It was as informal as she could get, but it was how she rolled. “—and I was serious about needing a ride outta here.” She added with a grin.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Running, and the Force, it seemed to do a world of good to get away from pirates. Plus, Kaia had a lightsaber, and unlike her father she was actually decent with a lightsaber. Better with a sniper rifle, sure, but she could hold her own with a lightsaber, against others who were using blasters. Against those that were coming at her with a lightsaber? Not so much. And she wasn’t quite a Pokemon, so Ice Beam didn’t work, but she was getting really good at making temperatures unpleasant for a variety of species.

Really not one for the control aspects of the Force, Kaia was keeping up with Kira by sheer will and a need to protect the girl and her soccer ball droid. When she finally caught up to the other, though, she was a bit out of breath, worrying about the pirates and keeping a bit of contact with Kira for the moment, wouldn’t do to get separated.

When Kira made the comment about the Jedi bit though, Kaia shrugged. “I guess it didn’t matter right then? Its weird times too, last thing I want is people chasing me because I’m a Jedi.” And a Warden of the Sky to boot, but she wasn’t about add that icing to the cake, but it was part of the reason she went hella protective over the girl. “And ‘sides, I can’t let someone get chased by pirates, now can I?”

When the other woman stood and extended her hand, she smiled. “I’m Kaia. And I’m serious about helping you. Seems you’ve got some stories to tell, and I spend a lot of time flying solo.” She looked at the droid. Hers had… run off to the hangar, like he was told to. “Who’s your friend?”

[member="Kira Vaal"]

 

[Kira Vaal]

“Yeah pirates are bad.” Kira hand through her hair, she knew that somewhere deep down there was a connection to the Force inside her, Raien had made that very clear during their little expeditions but actually meeting another Jedi seemed to put the whole thing into perspective. She gave it a thought and decided to keep it on the down low for now.

“Well I appreciate the seriousness.” She smiled. “As for stories? One or two I suppose.” The trio began to walk, and roll further off towards the hanger which was fortunately pirate free. “Him?” She looked towards the droid as well. “I call him Rollie.” The small droid beeped a couple of times in response. “He’s an antique and has just become my most dearest possession it seems.”

“So in all honesty Kaia. I have no idea where to go or how to get there. There’s nothing left for me on Lothal now and the galaxy is just so damn big and full of big nasty governments so—“ She gave a quick smirk. “I guess I’m in your capable hands for now.”

—- —- —-

Well polished boots stepped through the cracked glass that was scattered across the cantina floor, pools of blood and bodies mixed through the rest of the debris. There had certainly been one hell of a fight here.

Pirate Captain Gideon stopped just in front of a slouched Aqualish who was doing his best to breath his life away against the side of the bar, several puncture wounds through his chest. “The girl?”

“She—“ He grunted as pain took over. “She got away.” Gideon rose from his squat and cracked his knuckled in frustration. “With a Jedi…”

That took in by surprise.

“A Jedi?” He said quietly. “How interesting.” A comm-link was raised to his lips and silence followed until a dull click could be heard. “Prepare the ship, things just got more developed.” Then in a whip of his coat Gideon was gone.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Pirates were bad. Anyone who attacked people and their freedom? That was bad, in Kaia’s mind. Chaotic Good? Neutral Good? Something like that. Really, what it came down to was that her home-ship had been attacked by pirates a good number of times, and with her being a Warden of the Sky, she needed to do what she could to protect people who were just trying to go their own way. And it seemed that was all Kira was after. Looking to live, and do… well, whatever it was she was doing. It wasn’t bothering Kaia so much that she didn’t know, they’d have time on the flight out of here to discuss a lot.

That was how that worked, after all, when you were in close quarters for a while, you chit-chat, and typically it was about life. Or work.

Stories were always good, it helped keep Kaia in the know of the galaxy, and as she was supposed to find her place here, she figured learning everything she could from whoever she came into contact with would be smart. Making the walk to the hangar, she nodded. “Rollie, huh? How much of an antique? Never saw one like him” Ancient was the word, but the droid looked like it could be an astromech, and that was the last thing she wanted, to offend an astromech droid that was potentially going to be spending a lot of time aboard the Wandering Star.

“Well, I make a decent amount of shuttle and freight runs, if you ever feel the need to hop off, you’re welcome to but… until then, I can always use help on crewing my ship. Running freight, and maybe I can introduce you to some of my friends.” Because Kaia was very trusting, but if Kira was running away from the pirates? She figured the girl couldn’t be that bad. “If you’re interested.” She shrugged.

[member="Kira Vaal"]

 

[Kira Vaal]

The small droid seemed to whistle with glee when it realised that it’s two human companions were talking about it. He whisked between Kira and Kaia beeping joyfully as he did, several times attempting to show off by quickly changing directions as he went.
“Pretty old, I can’t be too sure on the exact dates but estimation of his parts puts his origin sometime shortly after the fall of the first Galactic Empire.” It was always a smart idea to chuck in the first when talking about Palpatine’s reign in Kira’s opinion, it seemed every week a new Empire rose and fell, like fads they never lasted long.

Kaia made her offer and for once in her life Kira had an easy decision in front of her.
“If it gets me off this rock I’ll haul freight for the rest of my life.” Clearly the pirates had been after the droid and right now putting as much distance between it and them was the most important thing. She only hoped that Threxaj and C-3PX had managed to disappear when they had the chance. “So yeah. Consider me aboard!”

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Droids were silly. A bit more clean than animals, and worlds more intelligent, and definitely a lot less cuddly, but Kaia was one who found droids to be better companions than other organic things. Sure, her father flew with a Corellian Sand Cat, and there was a few living aboard the Dawn Treader, her home-ship, but none on the Wandering Star, she was a work boat. A craft designed to be her home as well as her main means of income.

The first Galactic Empire? That was… that was the time when the original Dawn Treader’s keel was laid. The start of Warbird Wing. That was… wow, a long time ago. Sure, with the Darkness maybe things were changing, but this droid? He, she, it, or they, would not be affected by the Gulag, right? Sure, Kaia was from an Imperial loyalist family, but with the Empires coming and going, they were waiting for the right one, the one that would prove to be the Empire for them.

She knew her brother was following around with an Imperial Remnant, but they’d have to see how that went.

“Hard to find parts for him. I know some people who might be able to find parts. And if you’re sure, I mean, its not like you’re press-ganged or anything, can go whenever you want…” But she was going to stay? Kaia did manage a smile for that! The pair walked into the hangar where the Wandering Star was parked. Kaia looked up at her home and smiled.

“Kira, welcome aboard.” She nodded at the Corellian freighter.

[member="Kira Vaal"]

 

[Kira Vaal]

Kira couldn’t surpress the whistle that escaped her lips as she was introduced to the Corellian Freighter that Kaia called home a sound that was matched by Rollie either through mimacing spirit or impressed feelings of his own.
“When you said you had a ship I was expecting a little kitty mobile, nothing like this.” She gave the Wandering Star a good look over before returning her eyes to Kaia. “No offence.” She shrugged.

Kira loved ships, she loved parts and wires and the smell of engine fuel. Every curve and every weld it all held a story into a ships history, and with a galaxy like theirs each ship tended to have one hell of a history. “She’s beautiful.”

“You mentioned friends of yours? Any chance there would be people familiar with the rim worlds or even beyond? I have—“ What did she have? A hunch, a series of unconfirmed rumours? “—Need of people familiar with that area.”

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]