Here We Stand

[Rosalina]

One of the things that continually surprised Alm about this galaxy is the sheer number of people that could be in one place. Coming from a tribal people, at most you had close to a hundred people together to celebrate a wedding or another big event. In 15 years, she’d only experienced that a handful of times.

Sel, the planet’s capital served as her introduction to the modern ways of the galaxy. The desert city had expanded rapidly and readily imported things like contemporary cosmetics, clothing and prepackaged foods. It was quite the difference from a lifestyle where you either made everything yourself or traded with your neighbor. Sel was where she started to learn Basic and become familiar with the concept of holo technology and starships. She’d always heard of those things from afar, but they were never meant for her.

Right now, the young Nasvali was in a crowded commercial center. It was an effort to familiarize herself with day to day lifestyle and to get herself used to crowds—if she was going to make it in the galaxy, she had to adapt to the idea of urban life. Alm’s tall frame hunched slightly as she stared into a shop window, admiring the clothing on one of the display mannequins and wondering if it would fit her. She was on the upper end of female height for most near-humans but would still grow more over the next few years. That was something she was thankful for, hoping that her figure would fill out and she’d no longer feel lanky and awkward. However, it didn’t help that last two women’s store she’d gone into didn’t have sizes that would fit her properly—sleeves were too short, hems dipped too awkwardly and seams were tight.

With a huff, Alm turned her eyes back towards the crowds and took in a breath. She was getting hungry and had passed the food court earlier—where was it again? Her gaze darted back and forth, hesitation in her legs and she wasn’t sure about joining the rushing crowds until she knew where she was going.

[member="Kainan Wolfe"]

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

[-SOUNDTRACK-]​

Attn: [member="Alm"]​

• City of Sel
  Planetary Capital, Manas

Sel was a sprawling and exotic city, full of strange and unfamiliar sounds and bathed in the sounds of countless people and alien music. It was the sort of place where one could buy a number of illicit material, discretely meet informants and secretly recruit capable individuals, the latter being the cause for it being chosen as the destination.

There were a number of ships orbiting the planet, ranging in size from small shuttles, to massive freighters and even a few frigates and cruisers. Now, this impressive and diverse assortment of ships was joined by another, a one thousand meters long Valiant-class Star Destroyer, the Argent Dawn, flagship of the Shrouded Republic and its leader, the self-coined Lord of Shrouds, Kainan Wolfe.

A single Lambda-class shuttle exited the belly of the massive mechanical beast, descending on the planet like a hawk would swoop down to snatch its prey. Its wings folded up as it approached its designated landing pad and it extended its landing gear like a bird of prey reaching out with its claws to bite into the metal surface below.

Its occupants wore nondescript civilian clothing, to blend in with the crowds and had blaster pistols and vibroswords clipped to their belts. But beneath their appearance, they were anything but harmless. Ten of them were Wolfguards, the deadliest soldiers in the Shrouded Republic, elite commandos that were fanatically loyal to their overlord, to the point of death. Their leader was a man of slightly above average height, with a well-toned physique and dark brown hair streaked with white, giving him the appearance of being older than he really was. His ice-blue eyes scanned the sights with a sharp, perceptive gaze which took in every detail. The only other distinguishing feature was an ornate-looking lightsaber which hung from his belt and a dangerous-looking pistol.

The twelfth occupant of the shuttle was by far, the most dangerous of the group. A rodian male with extensive facial tattoos, his only weapon was a plain-looking lightsaber which, when ignited, would give life to a blade that glowed red. One of Wolfe's Sith accolytes, he was to be their hound, sniffing out Force-sensitives for the warlord to recruit.

The party set out into the streets to find their query, slowly walking about, seemingly stopping to look at the wares on display in the countless market stalls, while the Sith warrior carried out his magic. Several potential candidates were found, but they were either too old, too young or too weak in the Force to be of interest. So the party kept moving.

Two of them seemed to haggle with a shop owner for the price of a useless item when the Sith suddenly walked up to the foreign warlord. "That one," said the alien, his eyes pointing at a tall, lanky girl who's eyes drifted about, seemingly unsure of whether or not to join the moving crowds. Wolfe responded with a silent nod, prompting his escorts to end whatever they were doing and discretely move to surround the girl. The Warlord and his Sith companion crossed the street and approached the girl, Wolfe waving his alien companion away.

"Greetings," the man spoke in a deep and clear voice. "My name is Kainan Wolfe and I'm seeking to hire people for a certain job. You look quite capable, so I would like to discuss the details, if you please," said the warlord, his tone polite and pleasant.

 

[Rosalina]

Alm had shifted to people watching for the time being, settling on watching the crowds as they shifted past her. Things were different here in Sel, which was strange considering how her people disparaged the desert dwellers and unclean and unfaithful to their culture. They’d live with scarce resources for so long, it was only natural that they would be so desperate as to take help from offworld to build…this. This modern society full of strange things and stranger people.

It was growing on her, though. She liked the pretty clothes and the easily prepared food.

A male voice broke her from her thoughts and she turned to see an offworlder. It wasn’t uncommon to see humanoid and near humans in Sel but it was still something out of place for her. Her face stilled in concentration as he spoke her to her in Basic, relaying that he had a job prospect for her.

Then her brows narrowed. With the great technological revolution came people seeking Nasvali for manual labor and cheap off world work. Some young women had been lured into prostitution rings with promise of work as a maid or nanny.

“No thanks.” She responded briskly. “Not prostitute.”

[member="Kainan Wolfe"]

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

Attn: [member="Alm"]​

• City of Sel
  Planetary Capital, Manas

Wolfe gave her a short laugh. "Good. I wasn't looking for one," he said, raising his hand and waving his rodian companion close. "The job I am offering entails different skills. Skills which my companion here," Wolfe said, referring to the approaching alien, "says you have."

Unknown to any but Wolfe and his companion, the ten disguised Wolfguards discretely patrolled around, making sure no one tried to approach Wolfe and the girl. But the trained eyes and ears of the elite guards were always paying attention to their warlord and would pick out and answer a command from him, even if it was given in the most subtle of ways.

The Rodian chimed in, speaking in a Basic as clear as Wolfe's, despite his alien nature. "The Lord of Shrouds is interested in you because of your Force sensitivity," said the alien Sith. "That is correct," completed Wolfe. "What I need is something different. And what I offer is a bit more long term than the services which a prostitute would usually provide," spoke the human. "Should you accept, you will one day become one of the most powerful people in this galaxy," Wolfe promised her, his eyes fixed on hers with an intense, burning gaze that spoke of honest intentions and a steely, unbreakable will.

"But this is no place to discuss such matters. Come. I have taken the liberty to reserve a cantina for this event," he explained, waving her to follow him to a place a short walk down the street. Ten dangerous-looking men also followed them, although it would take a trained eye to spot them in the crowd and recognize them for what they were.

The cantina to which Wolfe offered to lead the girl, was an ordinary establishment for this city. The only extraordinary thing about it was that it was empty and the sign outside read 'closed', although the doorman would open the door for Wolfe and his companions and leave them to mind their business, undisturbed. Once inside, Wolfe, the rodian and Alm would be followed only by his escorts, the ten disguised men from outside. With a wave of his hand, Wolfe would direct the rodian and one of his other companions to guard the door and make sure no one tried to enter.

 

[Rosalina]

Alm’s eyes slid over to the Rodian. “Companion?” There was something in his presence that tugged at her own senses—though she did not realized it, the alien was a trained Force sensitive unlike any she’d encountered on Manas.

Instinctual wariness took over as the man continued to speak. The Nasvali were anxious around off worlders and preferred to be left to their own devices. Though the people of the desert overcame their suspicion and opened their territory to modernization there was much divide among the natives. Someone young, like Alm, was far more malleable to change even if she was unsure what she thought of it.

A spark of interest lit her eyes as he proclaimed that she’d become powerful. Alm wasn’t sure if that was something she wanted, but it played on teenage fantasies of doing something great. All she wanted was to explore and understand the galaxy in the way her people had shunned.

“Why go?” She didn’t seem too keen on leaving the relative safety of the populated commercial center, but after a bit of hemming and hawing she eventually followed Kainan and his companion to the cantina. Curiosity won out over stranger danger, it seemed.

She sat down tentatively, noting how they were followed into the empty cantina by a handful of men. The girl instantly tensed, eyes shifting to the side, over to the guarded door and then back ok Kainan. “Who they?” She asked, nerves lacing her demand.

A teenage girl alone in a cantina with a dozen strange men was not…comforting.

[member="Kainan Wolfe"]

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

Attn: [member="Alm"]​

• City of Sel
  Planetary Capital, Manas

Wolfe was pleased that the girl followed him. "I never did get your name," he spoke, reminding her that she never introduced herself. "I invited you here because some matters are best discussed in private," he said, pouring two glasses of cool, clear water from a decanter that had been left for them and handing her one, making sure to drink from his glass first, to reassure her that the water hadn't been spiked. "They are my Wolfguards," Wolfe explained, answering her question. "I am an important man. The leader of a nation, the Shrouded Republic, my formal title being Lord of Shrouds."

Taking another sip from his glass of water, Wolfe spoke in a clear voice which conveyed an air of relaxed authority. "I will tell you the truth. I invited you here because my companion, who is waiting for us outside, tells me that you are Force sensitive, like he said earlier," he told the young Nasvali girl. "I have been looking for someone like you for quite some time."

"The job I am offering you, is a long-term deal. I will ensure that you get proper training and education. You will learn how to master your gift, how to fight, how to fly a starship. Outside of your education in the Force, I will teach you how to handle yourself in the world of high society. Politics, business, how to read the subtle cues that people give off when they lie or have something to hide," the warlord explained. "Once you are ready, you will become my right hand. These men that you see here? One day, you could command them. You could have the power to change the galaxy, to make a difference," he said. Stretching his hand out was all it took for one of the motionless Wolfguards to step forward and place something in Wolfe's hand. A simple, cylindrical object with some kind of switch on it. A lightsaber.

The warlord leaned forward, his ice-blue eyes fixed on the girl's and burning with a powerful intensity. He pushed the lightsaber across the table, to her. Having been crafted by Wolfe's Rodian companion, its blade would glow red once ignited. "Should you accept, you will be free to come and go from the Shrouded fleet, as you please. A false identity shall be provided to you, which will allow you to avoid any questions that may arise," Wolfe said. Glancing down at the lightsaber, he told the girl the terms of the arrangement. "This is yours, until you earn the black. Until that day, you are allowed to change your mind about our arrangement, at any time, provided that you inform me of your decision and do not simply disappear," he explained, omitting the part that when the day came for her to earn a black lightsaber, she would be given a choice from which there would be no turning back. There would be plenty of time to subtly influence her and bring her around to his way of thinking, so that when that day came, she would make the decision that Wolfe wanted her to make.

"I ask only one thing in return," said the warlord, his serious tone underlining the importance of his one request. "Loyalty."

 

[Rosalina]

Alm sat with her hands in her lap, shoulders tense as she eyed the guards from the side. While she was at least as tall as some of them and had the racial strength to back it up, she was inexperienced in combat and her bladework was limited to the occasional spar with her father and hunting game in the valleys.

“Alm.” She answered simply when prompted, still eyeing the scene and trying to get a feel for it. This man did not seem hostile nor intent on forcing her into anything, but her guard was still somewhat raised. If what he was saying was true, then it sounded like her ticket offworld. Her desire to see the galaxy and adapt was weighed against her suspicion of this upfront stranger. “Where ‘Shroo..Shroude-ed Republic?” It took her a moment to sound out the new words, repeating them the way he’d spoken.

She listened closely, able to understand Basic much better than she could speak it. The holofilms in the city theater helped, and many natives of Sel spoke both Basic and Nasvali with ease. His story was, to her, the stuff of legends. Alm had no idea how common this sort of thing was in the galaxy—young Force sensitives being recruited for various means. The younger the better, the more malleable they were.

If possible, she tensed even more when he produced a saber hilt and pushed it wards her. Her body stilled and she brought her eyes from Wolfe down to the blade with awe. “Light sword,” She spoke softly, head tilting upwards back to Kainan. “Want me becoming…Jedi?” She was aware of her Force sensitivity though was only trained in the basics of fire shaping and pyrokinesis for tribal duties. Her people believed that the Force needed to be strictly controlled and only used in small tasks—cooking, warmth, defending if absolutely necessary. There was an old Nasvali legend of a great war ravaging over half of the planet in fire, burning the fertile lands and leaving what would become a desert in its wake. They feared destruction and preferred living in isolated tribes where everyone knew their role.

‘Jedi’ was a term learned only recently through a holoflick romanticizing the adventures of the peace-loving bathrobes.

She reached out, finger ghosting tentatively along the metallic grooves and ridges of the saber's hilt.

[member="Kainan Wolfe"]

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

Attn: [member="Alm"]​

• City of Sel
  Planetary Capital, Manas

"Alm. A beautiful name," said the warlord, seemingly considering the way it sounded for a few moments. Then she asked him about his nation's territory "The Shrouded Republic does not currently hold territory, other than a few secret bases. Our worlds are under the occupation of the Sith, at the moment," he explained, drinking the remainder of his water. "Though plans are in motion to rebuild our nation somewhere else."

He watched her reaction closely as he pushed the lightsaber to her. She seemed to tense slightly. "The Jedi have their qualities, true," Wolfe said to her. "But no, I do not want you to become either Jedi, or Sith. What I offer you, is something much better. Call it a higher calling."

"You see, I am on a mission," the warlord explained. "A mission to save my people and the galaxy from the greatest threat there has ever been. For that purpose, I seek to recruit talented people from all over the galaxy," he said. "Talented people such as yourself."

"Take it," he said, referring to the lightsaber. "It is yours. Consider it a gift and a reminder of the great potential that I see in you," spoke the warlord, reaching into his cloak for another set of items. Reaching out, he put an ID chip on the table. "Some adjustments will have to be made, but for all intents and purposes, everyone in the Shrouded Republic will know you as Lady Luna, eighteen years old daughter of an old friend of mine, who asked me to take you under my wing. If anyone asks you any questions after that, simply say that you do not wish to talk about it."

"I have also prepared a ship for you, though it is currently up in space. Starting tomorrow, you will be taking lessons on how to fly it," Wolfe said, perhaps sensing her desire to explore the galaxy and attempting to convince her with the offer of a ship. "That is, if you accept my offer."

 

[Rosalina]

One of her hands wrapped around the glass of water, fidgeting and spinning the cup as she stared down into it. Her mouth felt dry but she couldn’t drink, a mix of anxiety and excitement tightening her throat and turning her stomach. This could really be it—her ticked offworld and into the galaxy. Not as a gentle glide, but a drive straight into what she’d been missing for the past fifteen years.

“Threat? What is threat?” Nerves took over in her voice, realizing that Wolfe would expect her to fight and that she’d likely clash with this threat someday. Could she really end up being someone that important? Stranger danger rang alarm bells at the back of her mind but the potential opportunity, at least to a teenager, was too good to pass up. Her hand brushed against the lightsaber, wrapping around the hilt tentatively. She did not try to activate it, not yet.

Alm nodded slowly at the explanation. Being thought of as eighteen—a whole three years older!—was appealing to her as she’d thought it would make her appear more mature. Alas, awkward body language told a different tale. Maybe her height would help her be more convincing.

“Fly starship?” She sounded incredulous. Alm had never traveled by ship before and the idea of flying had never crossed her mind. “Impossible.” That was how it all seemed.

She looked down, thumb brushing over the ignition of the saber, crimson blade springing to life. The girl jumped, almost dropping the blade and holding it out at arm’s length lest she cut off a limb. For a moment she admired the blade in fascination, pulsing with energy as if it were alive. It was like fire, a central part in her people’s life. “Okay,” She said, more decisive this time but still a little shaky as she deactivate the blade. “Yes. We go now?”

[member="Kainan Wolfe"]

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

Attn: [member="Alm"]​

• City of Sel
  Planetary Capital, Manas

The warlord responded with a grave and satisfied not. Standing up from the table, he led the girl outside, his guards forming up on either side of them and the Rodian sith taking up position behind Wolfe and his protege. The warlord led the girl to the starport, where a Lambda-class shuttle awaited them. "This is my shuttle. It'll take us to my flagship," the warlord explained.

This time, Wolfe himself took the helm and offered the girl the seat beside him, in the cockpit, which would offer her a view outside as the shuttle took off and headed up. The guards took the seating in the back. The blue sky gave way to the dark void of space as the shuttle gained altitude and left the atmosphere of the planet below. Wolfe's destination soon became clear.

A white, triangular ship, one thousand meters in length, hovered in orbit above the world of Manas. Beside it, two ships half its size formed its escort. "That is the Argent Dawn," Wolfe explained. "It is a Valiant-class Star Destroyer and the flagship of the Shrouded Republic."

The colossal size of the ship became apparent as the shuttle approached it. A pair of TIE Reapers formed up on either side of the Lambda-class shuttle as it glided into the hangar, its wings gently folding up to allow it to land. Their fighter escorts also landed, taking up position in the TIE racks above, just as the shuttle's ramp opened.

In the hangar, twenty soldiers wearing wolfcloaks formed two lines, one on either side of the shuttle's ramp. Several marine squads were also present and they stopped their activities to salute, raising their hands to their temples. The Wolfguards had a different salute, bumping a fist against their chests in perfect synchronization. They made no sound and spoke no words as their warlord and his entourage exited the shuttle.

A servant came forth and would lead the girl to a set of large quarters, lavishly furnished and decorated with engravings of wolves on the walls. Wolves seemed a prevalent symbol on this ship. Other servants would then attend to the girl, taking measurements for new clothes and bringing her several sets of jewelry. A pair of Wolfguards took up position outside her door. "The Lord of Shrouds has assigned us the task of guarding your safety, my lady," one of them would say.

The next morning, several sets of clothes would be brought for the girl, ranging from elegant dresses, to sharply-cut military uniforms and a beautiful white cloak made out of soft silk, lined with the white fur of some animal. The girl would then be left alone to eat, change and then be summoned to the warlord's presence.

Wolfe awaited her in his office, sitting in a high-backed, almost throne-like chair at his heavy, wooden desk. He wore a heavy leather cloak with fur padding on the shoulders, over a military uniform which depicted the insignia of rank. Behind him, a large viewport showed the space outside the ship, a half-circle of blue taking up the lower portion of the view, the atmosphere of the planet below. They were still in orbit of Manas. "Welcome," said the warlord, greeting her. "Are you ready to see your ship?" Wolfe asked her.

 

[Rosalina]

So many new concepts and things to remember—Alm was worried that she’d never remember all of it! She only hoped that some of this was written down somewhere and that it would come easier in time.

As they boarded the shuttle, she looked around as if it were her first time aboard a ship because it was. She knew what they were, having seen ships fly well above her home and they were a regular occurrence in Sel, but this was her first time boarding one. To her, they were the epitome of modernization. A symbol of the ability to travel beyond Manas, something many of her people had never dreamed of.

As the Argent Dawn came into view, Alm craned her neck to see. She was rather rigid during the ride, unsure of how to handle herself or what to do.

After a whirlwind of settling in, Alm awoke and looked at the clothes she’d been given, pleasantly surprised to find them all tailored to her size given that she was taller than the average humanoid female. They were all lovely and high quality, but she still felt a little…odd at the idea of wearing something so beautiful and different. She tried on one of the dresses, and while it fell perfectly she herself did not feel like it suited her. Not yet, not until she grew into her new life.

Whatever that may come to be.

Instead, she wrapped an ornate cloak loosely around her body. Made with black, gold and tan designs, the intricately patterned garment was a gift from her father and rather expensive for him to procure. She’d thought that it was the most beautiful thing in the world when he’d presented it to her and it was one of the few things she’d kept from her life on Manas.

Knocking on Wolfe’s office door, she waited for him to acknowledge her before entering. “Good morning,” She greeted, nodding once while an awkward smile curved on her face. “Yes.” She responded simply.

[member="Kainan Wolfe"]

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

Attn: [member="Alm"]​

• Star Destroyer Argent Dawn
  In orbit above Manas

"Lovely cloak," the warlord said, before leading the way through the winding labyrinth of corridors and turbolifts, to the hangar bay, where a YT-2000 freighter awaited them. Despite the age of the model, this particular ship had undergone an extensive retrofit and as a result, it was almost like a brand new ship. Every component inside had been refurbished, or replaced and the small freighter was in near-perfect condition.

"This is it, for now," said Wolfe, hand waving to the vessel. "One day, you'll be commanding much larger ships than a simple freighter, but for your current needs, this will do," explained the warlord. He intended to eventually give her command of a cruiser, possibly even his previous flagship, the Final Verdict, but she would have to learn a few things, first. Leading the way, he opened the loading ramp and then proceeded to give her a tour of the ship. The inside had been refitted into something resembling a pleasure yacht, with much of the cargo space being remodeled into living areas, though there was still enough room for a speeder bike and a decent amount of supplies. Additionally, a modern medical bay had also been installed, complete with as much equipment as could be fitted in the limited space.

"I picked this ship because it can be flown without a crew complement, although handling the tasks of flying a ship and performing maintenance operations can be quite labor intensive," he explained as he led the way into the cockpit of the vessel. Pointing to the pilot's seat, he sat in the seat next to her, showing her how to operate the buckles of the safety harness, before explaining to her what the various controls were. He pointed out what the various switches and control panels did, also showing her the basic operation of the navigation system. Taking the secondary controls, he glided the ship out from the hangar of the massive Star Destroyer and took it a short distance away, before handing her the controls.

"For your first time, you want to take it easy. There's plenty of time to learn about the hyperdrive and more complex maneuvers later, but today, we will focus on basic controls. Just a nice, simple flight through empty space, with no obstacles around," he said to her. "Take the flight stick with one hand and put the other on the engine throttle. Pushing the throttle forward, increases speed, while pulling it back from neutral position, which is the position that the throttle sits in when the engines are powered down, makes the ship fly in reverse. The pedals control altitude and the flight stick controls pitch and yaw, or where the nose of the ship is pointing. Using a combination of these, you can also control the roll, making the ship spin on its axis, though we'll talk about it later. For now, I want you to gently push the throttle forward and keep the ship going straight."

Later, he would show her how to steer the ship through basic maneuvers and how to use the navigation system to find and keep a heading.

 

[Rosalina]

Alm followed Wolfe though the industrial maze that would eventually lead them to the hangar bay. On the journey, Alm’s head was turning this way and that, curiosity getting the best of her. This was all so new and exciting but incredibly nerve wracking at the same time.

While being on a ship was still a new concept, she’d started to get used to it. Now he wanted her to actually control this massive thing? Alm slid nervously into the pilot’s seat, gazing at the control panel as if it were a slab of earth covered in the markings of an archaic language. It may as well have been, with all of its buttons and switches. How does he keep any of these straight? Wondering to herself, she did her best to watch what Wolfe did as he brought the ship out and a safe distance away from the star destroyer.

His explanation made her head spin and she remained quiet, hands at her side as if she were afraid to simply touch the control panel, which she very much was.

“Um…”

Overloaded and feeling useless already, Alm would need a bit more instruction on where to guide her hands before she got the tentative hang of things. With the care of handling a newborn, she gently pushed the throttle forward then stopped…and started again, causing the ship to go through a series of shudders and shakes.

“S-sorry!” She cried out, panic rising in her chest.

[member="Kainan Wolfe"]

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

Attn: [member="Alm"]​

• YT-2000 Freighter
  In orbit above Manas

The small freighter bucked and heaved, shuddering a couple of times. Wolfe seemed unconcerned, though. "Its fine," he said to the girl, his voice reassuring. "You'll know how to fly this ship in your sleep in no time," spoke the warlord. Then, his eyes seemed to drift into the distance for a moment, fixed perhaps, on a distant memory. "I was about your age when I learned how to fly. Was younger than you when I learned how to fix ships. Struggled a bit with flying, but discovered I had a natural talent at taking things apart and putting them back together. That Star Destroyer behind us? I designed it," he said, eyes snapping back to her. "The greatest things come from small beginnings. All you need is the grit and determination to never give up and a willingness to do whatever it takes to make them happen."

The warlord then turned his attention back to teaching her how to fly. "Don't be afraid of the ship. You need to relax, feel the ship's movements in your heart. Take it slowly and steadily," he told her. "There's just empty space in front of us, no obstacles, nothing to crash into. The ship's sensors would alert us to any objects in our path long before they become a threat to us. And if we do happen to run into a more difficult situation, I'll take the controls and steer us out of here," explained the man, everything in his tone and posture meant to give her a sense of safety and self-confidence.

"Besides, if anyone tries to pick a fight with us, that Star Destroyer behind us will blast them to space dust, not to mention the fact that it also has escorts," he said, his tone a bit more firm this time. It was true, though. There were few things this far out that could threaten a force like the Argent Dawn and its escort fleet. Wolfe's military had enough firepower to make any banged-up pirate ship turn tail and run at the mere sight of them.

The warlord waited for the girl to relax and grow accustomed to the ship's controls before speaking again. "Now, I would like you to try steering. Gently pull the flight stick left or right, depending on the direction you want to go. Try this, slowly, get a feel for how the ship handles."