Star Wars | The Emperor's Reach

[Jamfke]

Coruscant

Makus stared at the holonet feed piping in over the vid screen on the corner of the counter. It had been a slow day in the shop and he was debating on whether or not to close up for lunch when his comlink began buzzing on his belt. He tugged the device free and hit the accept stud.

"Rancor 3, go."

The voice on the other end was the same he'd heard for some time now. Heavily modulated and scrambled to the point where not even the best slicer would be able to decode it, the person he heard would never be identified by a voice print analyzer.

"Rancor 3, there is a package needing delivery to Ryloth. It is very heavy, can you handle it?"

Makus thought for a moment, "very heavy" usually meant that it was an arms delivery or high security information.

"Will it require a binary load lifter?" he asked as a clarification of the material.

"No, but it must be hand delivered, and you might need a grav sled."

The item to be delivered was to be high security information, needing a grav sled meant that it was very serious information.

"I can handle it Jov. When and where do I make the pick up?"

"The package will be loaded on your ship by the time you get ready. It's an express delivery."

"Copy Jov, Rancor 3 out."

Makus had never been to Ryloth before. He'd heard about the strange world many times, and was very familiar with the Twi'lek species since upon coming to Coruscant, he'd been to several of the nightclubs near his apartment that featured the beautiful females of the race as dancers and serving maids. In fact, he fancied one such maid at the Laughing Jawa, Tee'la.

The blue skinned Rutian was quite timid, and it had taken Makus a long time to coax her into conversing with him, but his insistence eventually paid off. They'd been seeing each other for a couple of months now and he was becoming more and more infatuated with her every second he was in her presence.

He'd have to tell her he was going off planet for a time. Too bad he couldn't tell her where, for he was certain she'd love to have him deliver a message to her family there. But the nature of his business would put her at undue risk. Just being associated with him was more than enough, and he was in constant fear that he would be found out and something terrible would happen to her.

He thumbed the Malandu's frequency and sent him a hail. Malandu, the Ho'Din proprietor of the shop, was an older male of his species and was very proud of his business. Makus had told him that he'd gotten a delivery job that would require frequent jaunts away from Coruscant and the old walking flower said that he understood, but was still upset at times that were inconvenient for his employee to be leaving.

The comlink blipped receipt of the hail and was shortly followed by the old man's gentle voice, "Makus, is there something wrong?"

"No sir, just wanted to let you know that I have an emergency delivery and it cannot wait, I have to leave immediately. I'll lock up the shop before I go, do you have any special instructions for your plants?"

Malandu's sigh was characteristic of his unhappiness, "No, no, nothing special. The automated systems will keep everything fresh. I wish you didn't have to close up in the middle of the day like this though, you know it's bad for business."

"I know sir, and I'm sorry, but this job is really important to me. You understand don't you?"

The old Ho'Din paused for a moment, "Not really, but you have been the best help I've had in a long time. You really know what it means to take care of my babies. Please be careful and don't stay away too long, I'll call in Gorfwis to fill in for you. How long will you be gone anyway?"

Makus thought for a moment, "Probably a couple of weeks or longer, I'm really sorry."

"Stop appologizing. Just get back here in one piece, okay?"

"Yes sir, I'll do my best."

Makus disconnected the link and tucked his comlink back into his belt pouch. He shut down the register and fished his keys from another pouch as he headed to the door. Once outside, he locked up the shop and turned towards the spaceport. He'd have to call Tee'la in-flight. She hated to send him off without a kiss, but she too understood the importance of his job, at least as much as he let her know about it.

No time to waste, he hailed an air cab and directed the driver to the spaceport.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Makus stepped out of the air cab and paid the driver. As he walked toward docking bay 1257, he did a visual scan to be sure he wasn't followed. Paranoia was a side effect of his kind of work.

He entered the docking bay and began to head towards berth 13 where his ship was docked. The bay master, a surly type of fellow wearing a slightly snug port security uniform, stopped him.

"I'll need to see an ID sir."

The man's breath smelled of the spicy gundark fried sandwich Makus could see lying on a wrapper in the man's security booth.

"Right, here you go," he handed him his ID and waited.

The big fellow inserted his ID card into his hand scanner and checked the info.

"Says here you live in Bonta Town. How is it a guy livin' in that district has his own spaceship?"

"Luck, perhaps? Or maybe the Force?" he chuckles with the last words, though he fully believed in the Force. Especially after hearing of the triumph the Alliance had won at Yavin. Luke Skywalker was a hero to those who sought freedom from the Emperor's grasp, and public enemy number one to the Empire.

The big man smirked, then snorted, "Yeah, well, just take it easy when you lift off, I don't want to see any fancy tricks or I'll have your license pulled."

Makus nodded, "Don't worry, I just learned how to fly a few months ago."

Leaving the guard with a blank stare, he grinned as he headed towards his ship. The blue and gold Headhunter waited with engines primed. He'd called ahead to the R2 brain embedded in the ship's systems and told it he was coming.

He called to it as he approached, "Everything ready Nix?"

The droid's response twittered back over his comlink. He couldn't know what it said, but the fighter's canopy popped open for him and that usually signaled a thumbs up.

He climbed into the cockpit and began strapping himself in, "Good, do you have those coordinates already worked up?"

The droid's response filed across the message display on his flight console, "Yes, we should arrive at the planet Ryloth in three days, nineteen hours if we remain on schedule."

"Great, well, let's go."

The fighter's hatch sealed and Makus allowed the droid brain to pilot them out of the docking bay and into the traffic stream that was so prevalent on this world at the center of the universe. He never lost the amazement he'd felt when he first arrived at Coruscant. A kid from a farm world suddenly thrust into the heart and soul of the civilized galaxy as it was, he'd only seen holos of the planet back home. He never imagined such a wonder of technological advancement could really exist.

The image was fading on a daily basis, however. With all he was learning about politics and how Palpatine had mislead the Republic into allowing him to install himself as Emperor, he was amazed that he felt the wonder still. It was there nevertheless, and like a child, he sat staring in awe at the ebb and flow of air cars and star ships making their way through their respective lanes.

Nix, NX-R7, boopled a new message, "Entering exit lane. Please insure you're strapped in safely sir."

"I'm in Nix, I'm in. You sound more like my mother every day, you know that?"

The Headhunter, normally an in system fighter, had been retrofitted with a hyperdrive after stripping the ship's concussion missle launching system. The cargo area was smaller too, cut in half to only 25 kilos capacity, but it was well worth the availability of hyper travel.

Nix had been retrofitted as well. Instead of the ten jump limit afforded to his more mobile brethren, he was linked directly to a nav system taken from one of the newer X-wing fighters being utilized by the Alliance. Being more compact, it took up less space than most other nav packages of the day.

Once they were next in the hyper lane queue, Makus took over the controls. He didn't mind letting the droid handle the tedious tasks of docking and jockeying for position in the traffic lanes, but he loved to feel everything as he took his ship into hyperspace. There was a rush that came from jumping in a small fighter that you didn't get aboard a larger vessel. It almost felt as if you were flying through space in nothing more than a vac suit.

He checked the control status board, and when he got the green light, he hit the jump button. The little ship shimmied once and lurched forward and disappeared from the galaxy in the blink of an eye.

[Jamfke]

Ryloth

Approaching Ryloth, Makus stares at the odd world through the canopy. Its strange orbit kept half of the planet in darkness and the other in light. He mused to himself how it seemed so like the rest of the galaxy during this current struggle.

"Approaching vessel, this is Kala’uun Star port control. Transmit your flight plans and intended business."

The message woke Makus from his thoughts and caught him off guard, "Nix, send them the information they requested. I don't want to get into any trouble."

"Green Thumb...", the tone of the controller's voice suggested amused inquisitiveness, "you are cleared for landing at pad 18-327. Welcome to Ryloth."

The change in the being's voice was a comfort to Makus, after studying his mission while en route, he'd half expected to have his cover blown and the Empire waiting to arrest him.

"Thanks control, receiving coordinates now. Good day."

The little fighter was dwarfed as it descended into one of the ports docking tunnels. The dimly lit cavern was filled with countless beings scurrying here and there between ships and the shops lining each level. Most of the ships here were light freighters at the very least, he counted maybe three or four other small ships as he headed for his designated pad.

Once down, he gathered up his gear and headed towards the dock master's booth. A pudgy Twi'lek stepped up to the window as he approached.

"Greetings traveler, and welcome to Ryloth. How long will you be staying with us?"

"I don't expect to be here for more than the day. I was told my docking fees and refueling costs would already be covered."

The Twi'lek glanced down at the terminal before him and then back up at Makus, smiling, "Yes, it does say your docking fees and refueling costs have been paid for, but there is the security fee."

"Security fee? What sort of nonsense is that? Security should be covered in the docking fees!"

"Due to a recent murder discovered near this facility, we had to instill an emergency security fee for all newcomers. This fee will ensure your personal safety while you are here."

"And how much is this Security fee anyways?"

"It only costs two hundred credits per day!"

"Two hundred cred....are you insane?"

The Twi'lek displayed a hurt and surprised look, "Sir, this is meant for your protection! I assure you it is no gimmick to part you from your hard earned credits!"

Makus waved his hand at the creature, "No thanks, I'll take my chances. Where's the Purple Dancer night club?"

The Twi'lek scowled at his response, "I'm sorry, but this isn't an information booth, good day!"

With that, he stormed away from the security window and disappeared behind a curtain hanging across a doorway.

"Friendly people! As long as they're about to take your credits that is," he thought. Then the image of Tee'la twirled through his mind and he calmed himself.

Leaving the bay, he found an information terminal in the corridor beyond and keyed in a search for the Purple Dancer. Once he found his directions, he turned and headed for the club, patting his pocket where he'd secured the datacard to be delivered to his contact.

"Okay, Myigus, I hope you're species is friendlier than these folks!"