Smuggler Captain
Colton Renth had learned two things the hard way in the Outer Rim:
Never trust a deal that sounds clean.
And never fly straight when Black Sun is involved.
The Shadow Hawk dropped out of hyperspace with a shudder, stars stretching back into pinpoints as the illegally modified Corellian YT-1300 light freighter screamed in protest. The ship looked like a battered relic from the Clone Wars, hull scarred and patched, but under the plating it was a predator—overcharged engines, hidden weapons, and a sensor-masking suite that made Imperial scanners lie to themselves.
Colton leaned back in the pilot's chair, boots up on the console, brown jacket creaking as he adjusted his grip on the throttle.
"Easy, girl," he muttered. "We're almost paid."
Behind him, his Wookiee partner let out a low, rumbling growl that vibrated through the cockpit.
"Yeah, I know, Chekkaar," Colton replied without looking back. "Running spice for Black Sun isn't exactly your dream career."
Chekkaar rose to his full towering height, bandolier of tools and blaster power packs slung across his chest, and barked a string of Shyriiwook that sounded like a threat and a warning at the same time.
Colton translated automatically.
"'If they betray us, I tear the ship in half and beat them with it.' Fair."
The Shadow Hawk slid into the shadow of an unnamed asteroid, its hull lights dimming as Colton powered down the obvious systems. The spice shipment—glitterstim and ryll packed into hidden compartments—was worth more credits than Colton had ever seen in one place, and Black Sun didn't forgive mistakes.
A flicker on the scanner.
"Contacts," Colton said, sitting forward. "Three fighters. Not Imperial. Zygerrian pirate configuration."
Chekkaar snarled and grabbed his bowcaster.
"Guess we're not the only ones who want Black Sun's credits."
The first pirate ship lunged out of the dark, cannons blazing. Colton rolled the Shadow Hawk sideways, the modified thrusters screaming as green bolts flashed past the cockpit.
"Hold on!"
Chekkaar slammed into the copilot's chair, roaring as he fired through the forward turret. A pirate fighter exploded into molten debris.
Colton punched the throttle, diving straight through the asteroid field.
"Come on, come on… this is why I overclocked you!"
The Shadow Hawk threaded impossible gaps, skimming rock so close the hull screamed. A missile streaked past the viewport.
Chekkaar bellowed, swinging the rear turret around and blasting the second fighter into fragments.
The last pirate tried to flee.
Colton grinned.
"Nope."
He hit the hidden boost switch. The Shadow Hawk surged forward like a hunting bird, cannons roaring. One clean shot—silence.
Stars filled the cockpit again.
Colton exhaled and leaned back.
"Well, Chekkaar, looks like Black Sun's getting their spice after all."
Chekkaar growled softly, then placed a massive hand on Colton's shoulder—equal parts gratitude and warning.
"Yeah," Colton said quietly. "One more job. Then we're out."
But deep down, he knew the truth.
Smugglers like Colton Renth didn't escape the shadow of Black Sun.
They just learned how to fly inside it.
Never trust a deal that sounds clean.
And never fly straight when Black Sun is involved.
The Shadow Hawk dropped out of hyperspace with a shudder, stars stretching back into pinpoints as the illegally modified Corellian YT-1300 light freighter screamed in protest. The ship looked like a battered relic from the Clone Wars, hull scarred and patched, but under the plating it was a predator—overcharged engines, hidden weapons, and a sensor-masking suite that made Imperial scanners lie to themselves.
Colton leaned back in the pilot's chair, boots up on the console, brown jacket creaking as he adjusted his grip on the throttle.
"Easy, girl," he muttered. "We're almost paid."
Behind him, his Wookiee partner let out a low, rumbling growl that vibrated through the cockpit.
"Yeah, I know, Chekkaar," Colton replied without looking back. "Running spice for Black Sun isn't exactly your dream career."
Chekkaar rose to his full towering height, bandolier of tools and blaster power packs slung across his chest, and barked a string of Shyriiwook that sounded like a threat and a warning at the same time.
Colton translated automatically.
"'If they betray us, I tear the ship in half and beat them with it.' Fair."
The Shadow Hawk slid into the shadow of an unnamed asteroid, its hull lights dimming as Colton powered down the obvious systems. The spice shipment—glitterstim and ryll packed into hidden compartments—was worth more credits than Colton had ever seen in one place, and Black Sun didn't forgive mistakes.
A flicker on the scanner.
"Contacts," Colton said, sitting forward. "Three fighters. Not Imperial. Zygerrian pirate configuration."
Chekkaar snarled and grabbed his bowcaster.
"Guess we're not the only ones who want Black Sun's credits."
The first pirate ship lunged out of the dark, cannons blazing. Colton rolled the Shadow Hawk sideways, the modified thrusters screaming as green bolts flashed past the cockpit.
"Hold on!"
Chekkaar slammed into the copilot's chair, roaring as he fired through the forward turret. A pirate fighter exploded into molten debris.
Colton punched the throttle, diving straight through the asteroid field.
"Come on, come on… this is why I overclocked you!"
The Shadow Hawk threaded impossible gaps, skimming rock so close the hull screamed. A missile streaked past the viewport.
Chekkaar bellowed, swinging the rear turret around and blasting the second fighter into fragments.
The last pirate tried to flee.
Colton grinned.
"Nope."
He hit the hidden boost switch. The Shadow Hawk surged forward like a hunting bird, cannons roaring. One clean shot—silence.
Stars filled the cockpit again.
Colton exhaled and leaned back.
"Well, Chekkaar, looks like Black Sun's getting their spice after all."
Chekkaar growled softly, then placed a massive hand on Colton's shoulder—equal parts gratitude and warning.
"Yeah," Colton said quietly. "One more job. Then we're out."
But deep down, he knew the truth.
Smugglers like Colton Renth didn't escape the shadow of Black Sun.
They just learned how to fly inside it.