Private Static and Stars

[Aren D'Shade]

The distress call had been short.

Too short.

A burst of static. A set of coordinates. A strained voice identifying himself as Nolan Ork before the transmission dissolved back into silence. No explanation. No details. Just enough for Aren to recognize that whoever had sent it probably hadn't been given the luxury of a second attempt.

She keyed the comm anyway.

"Nolan, this is Aren D'Shade. I've got your signal. Respond if you're able."

Nothing.

Only static answered.

Aren frowned, already feeding the coordinates into her ship's navigation computer. As the engines began warming for departure, she recorded one more transmission and routed it toward Omen.

"Got a distress call. Nolan Ork. No details, just coordinates and silence afterward. I'm going to check it out. If I don't check in within a few hours, come looking. Love you."

The message sent, she shrugged into her worn leather jacket, slung her familiar tool bag over one shoulder, and stepped aboard her ship. The bag held everything she trusted most: diagnostic equipment, cybernetic instruments, slicing gear, medical supplies, datapads, and enough specialized tools to solve problems that most people wouldn't even recognize. If Nolan needed help, whatever form that help took, she'd adapt when she arrived.

Moments later the stars stretched into brilliant lines as the ship leapt into hyperspace, carrying Aren toward a voice that had vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

Nolan crashed on a planet in the mandalore system after being chased by a group of enforcers who wanted revenge for the murder of their employer, Nolan had managed to take out all of the enforcers but unfortunately he ship was shot too many times and he started barreling down toward the planet, after the crash Nolan exited his fighter and examined the damage fortunately he was a great mechanic and had tools for any type of ship and any kind of damage that it took so Nolan got to work on his ship but unfortunately when he finished fixing the ship he realized he didn’t have the necessary equipment to fix his communication system but he had already planned for that by sending a communique to any nearby mechanics

 

[Aren D'Shade]

The coordinates led Aren to a world she didn't recognize at first glance, one of countless rocky planets scattered throughout the Mandalore sector. As her ship descended through the atmosphere, the scorched remains of a fighter quickly became apparent against the landscape. Even from the air, she could see the unmistakable scars of a crash landing. It had reached the ground in one piece, which already spoke to a pilot who had kept control longer than most would have.

She set her own ship down a short distance away, giving the fighter enough room should it somehow become flightworthy again. The ramp lowered with a familiar hydraulic hiss, and Aren stepped onto the rocky ground with her worn tool bag resting against one shoulder. Her attention settled on the damaged starfighter almost immediately. Fresh welds caught her eye first, followed by replacement panels, patched hull plating, and components that had clearly been repaired rather than replaced. Someone had already put in a considerable amount of work.

Her pace slowed as she reached the fighter, brown eyes moving methodically across the exposed internals before finally finding the man standing beside them.

"Aren D'Shade." She offered her hand without ceremony. "I picked up your distress call."

Her gaze drifted back toward the open communications compartment, studying the damaged assembly without touching it. "Looks like you've already taken care of most of the hard work." A faint nod acknowledged the repairs that had already been made. "You said the communications system was the part you couldn't finish?" Only then did she look back at Nolan. "Mind if I take a look?"

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“yeah I sure would appreciate it I had most of the tools necessary to fix the ship but I somehow forgot the tools needed to fix my communications”

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren nodded once and stepped closer to the exposed communications compartment, setting her tool bag on the ground beside the fighter before kneeling next to it. Her eyes moved over the damaged assembly without immediately reaching for anything, taking a few moments to understand what she was looking at before she began.

"That's usually how it goes," she said matter-of-factly. "You pack for the repair you expect, then something else breaks."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she opened her bag and began laying out a handful of compact diagnostic tools.

"Fortunately, tools are rarely the problem." She looked up at Nolan briefly. "It's usually the damaged board, a burned-out component, or software that decided today was a good day to stop cooperating."

She connected a small diagnostic probe to the communications assembly and watched a series of readings scroll across her datapad.

"Let's see which one your ship decided to be."

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“actually the comms did still work when I initially crashed but when I tried to use them that’s when it decided it didn’t want to work”

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren nodded as the diagnostic scan continued to run across her datapad.

"That actually helps."

She glanced toward the communications array, following a cable with one finger until it disappeared beneath an access panel.

"If it worked after the crash and then stopped when you tried to use it, my first guess is a cracked connector or a loose connection. The impact may have weakened it just enough that powering the system finished the job."

She reached for a screwdriver from her tool bag.

"Let's start there. If we're lucky, it'll be something simple."

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“Hopefully but In my experience not all things are simple”

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren gave a small nod as she removed the access panel.

"Generally not," she agreed. "But there's no point assuming the worst before we've looked."

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

"We can hope."

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“I guess you’re right”

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren glanced down at the readings scrolling across her datapad before giving a small nod.

"There it is."

She reached into the communications housing with a slim pair of pliers and gently lifted a small connector free.

"The crash cracked the data connector." She turned it just enough for Nolan to see the hairline fracture running through the housing. "It stayed in contact long enough for your first transmission. When you tried to use it again, the vibration finished breaking it."

Setting the damaged connector aside, she reached into her tool bag for a replacement.

"Fortunately, this is an easy fix."

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“Well that’s good news”

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren nodded.

"It is."

She rummaged through her tool bag for a moment before looking up at him.

"Would you mind giving me the small gray case? It should have a handful of spare data connectors in it."

She pointed toward the open bag beside her.

"If I'm right, we can have your comms working again in a few minutes."

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“Yeah sure” Nolan walked over and grabbed the case of tools

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren took the case from him and flipped it open, revealing rows of neatly organized electronic components. Her fingers moved through the compartments with practiced efficiency, searching for the right replacement.

"Do you know what the connector looks like?" she asked without looking up. "If you spot another one like this before I do, it'll save us both a little time."

She held up the cracked connector for him to see before returning to the case, already scanning the next row of parts.

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“Oh i found it”

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren looked up from the open case and held out her hand.

"Perfect. I'll take it."

Once he handed it over, she gave him a small, appreciative nod.

"Thanks."

She compared the replacement to the damaged connector for a moment before sliding it into place with a satisfying click.

"That should do it. Give the comms a try when I finish securing the panel."

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

“Rodger that”

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren tightened the last screw on the access panel before sitting back on her heels.

"Go ahead."

She gave the communications housing a light tap with the handle of her screwdriver.

"If it doesn't work this time, we'll know the connector wasn't the only thing damaged."

Nolan ork

 

[Nolan ork]

Nolan started up the comms and sure enough it came on “yes it worked thank you I’m in your debt”