Hermits, pirates, fugitives, political exiles…the classier crowd…

[Nubica Felidae]

Nubica smiled. She’d only ever worked with out of the box ships. Her time as a pilot was relatively recent. At least as a fighter. But most of the ships she piloted were Corellian and once you’d flown one, you’d flown them all.

But Kaia’s words suggested…modifications. Personalisation. This could prove…interesting.

Nubica had never thought of herself as the covetous or acquisitive type, but suddenly she wanted her own ship more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. After all the years of servitude and wandering, of close calls, in and out of the Academy…perhaps she saw the ship as a chance for permanence.

The ship drew her to her gravity, as she clearly had Kaia who had added her own touches to the hull, mandibles, the varied techno-terrain of her surface. She took the smell of the ship into her nostrils.

The closer she looked, the more evidence she found of attempts to preserve her from the ravages of time and of spaceflight. Dents hammered out, cracks filled with epoxatal, paint smeared over areas of carbon scoring. Aftermarket parts socked down with inappropriate fasteners. She was bandaged with strips of durasteel, leaking grease and other lubricants. She had seen action, this ship. But in service to who or what, she had no idea. Criminals, smugglers, pirates, mercenaries…certainly some of those and more.

Minutes later, seated at the controls, she was in the co-pilot/navigator’s chair, lending what assistance she could. Most of what she saw was familiar. Most… And that only added to the fun, the evidence of which was written large across Nubica's face in the form of a huge smile.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Aftermarket was where it was at, when it came to ships. Her father had started the company that her family all seemed to help with, Starchaser Enterprises, as a result of the fact that so many of their vessels were built on what could be done to them, what they could become after factory specifications. Her ship was hers, and sure, there may be a gifted pilot who could learn it, but the one thing about a Starchaser’s ship? It always flew best for the Starchaser it was intended for.

The ship was older, as most ships were nowadays, and Kaia had no need to replace her. She could transport just fine, and that was really what was important. There was a hovering astromech droid that followed Kaia on the walk through around the exterior of the ship, making last minute welding spots before the pair stepped into the ship. They made their way to the back of the ship as Kaia started to ensure the engines were going to start up. They shouldn’t have an issue, but it was nearing the time that the Wandering Star needed to return to Roost, the name pilots called the Dawn Treader for a bit of repair work.

The droid was beeping and Kaia shook her head. “Nah, we’ll be fine, the hyperdrive and engines will hold. The weapons… they should, but check them while we’re on the way, alright?” At least so the turrets didn’t get locked in one direction. That would be a pain to deal with in a fight. She ran a grease covered hand into her dark hair and shook her head. “Yeah, we’re going to be underway in a few.”

Shaking her head, she stepped away from the droid and hurried up to the cockpit. “Everything looking alright?” Hopping into the pilot’s chair, she was turning the engines on, they caught almost immediately. The larger ship began to lift off on its repulsors.

[member="Nubica Felidae"]

 

[Nubica Felidae]

Fortunately she was a quick learner. Part of that was the Force and the rest was an affinity to anything electronic. She took her cue from Kaia and helped where she could, without getting in the way.

The moment the ship lifted she smiled again. Unlike the fighters she usually piloted this felt more…organic. The X-wings felt rather sterile by comparison. This was alive — truly.

So she punched in the codes that they’d been given and started to plot a course. Once calculated, she nodded to Kaia. “We have a destination, over to you.” Once completed, she checked the shields and some of the other controls on her side of the cockpit — flying as a navigator or co-pilot was a new experience and she appreciated Kaia allowing her to help out — given it was her ship.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

How many times was it restated where this girl, Kaia, was from? A lot, but it worked. It helped to outline just how different that family was from others, especially when it came to the Force. Looking for the ways it was a different family was easy. They lived on starships, in the voids between worlds. Now? Now that made it so, at least Kaia, had the ability for some minor mechu deru, and the Force? Well, it was such an awesome tool, people could learn a lot from its use.

“Great! Watch the shields, sometimes they act up, but I don’t think they’ll be an issue until we get to our destination.” The ship shuddered as it lifted from the ground, outside the city limits as it was, in fact, a light corvette. Bringing the nose up to the sky, Kaia smiled as she goosed the throttle, pushing the heavy engines to a escape velocity as they were soon breaking atmosphere.

“Drifter, our hyperdrive going to hold?” She asked over the intercom and a set of (mostly) positive tweets and beeps came back to her. “Good. Prepare to jump.” She smiled at Nubica as she shut the intercom off. “Want the honors?”

[member="Nubica Felidae"]

 

[Nubica Felidae]

Nubica listened intently. Every ship deserved loving care to a degree — but there was a difference between piloting a navy X-wing and someone’s personal craft.

So she decided to watch the shields as suggested — not sure what to do if they acted up — but never the less, would keep an eye on them.

And as they lifted off the ground, Nubica sensed an adventure ahead. And as someone who actually enjoyed fighting as opposed to talking, she was privately hoping the pirates would not be open to dialogue but instead respect a show of force instead.

She took the positives over the negatives from the droids, who were always too pessimistic in Nubica’s experience — before preparing for the jump.

And she didn’t have to be asked twice. She took the honours and the dots streaked into white lines as they made the jump to hyperspace.

“So, ever negotiated with pirates before?”

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Navy vessels, as Kaia was taught, were just as important as a personal vessel. Her family had flown TIE Exalts since as far back as records had carried. Word was they were even involved in the first stages of the mythical TIE Advanced Mk I used by Darth Vader. Of course, Darth Vader was a legend, and that ship would be the real world equal to the sword Excalibur, right?

That was what she thought, the same with that Skywalker hero. If his family was so important, where were they? Why were the Sith able to run free? Why couldn’t pirates just be the biggest issue the galaxy had? Because the stories were fake, that was why. Something the Republic and Sith had propagated through the centuries.

Kaia smiled as they entered hyperspace. She wasn’t as good as her father, and was probably better than her brother, when it came to instinctive astrogation, but the former had been at it far longer, and the latter, he was an instructor, he taught the more instinctive piloting, or how to actually fly, at the Levantine Astro Academy.

Maybe one day she’d finish her classes.

Maybe.

“Uh, not in the proper way. I do my best to help people in need, and when pirates step in, sometimes they need to be shown the error of the ways.” As some would say, aggressive negotiations. “But… I mean, if we can appeal to their nature, of credit gaining, perhaps we can turn them into privateers.” Kaia, for all she was a bit tough when it came to her tasks, was really more hopeful than she would let on.

[member="Nubica Felidae"]

 

[Nubica Felidae]

As they entered Hyperspace, Nubica grinned. She was enjoying this ship immensely. The ones she’d piloted so far lacked any character. This was almost a person. To Kaia it was no doubt a friend. Maybe even a best friend.

And then she listened to Kaia’s advice. She’d only encountered pirates from the inside of a cockpit. There had been no negotiations, no dialogue. Just the flash of lasers going this way and that. And the occasional torpedo thrown in for good measure.

“Privateers?” She echoed. “I think the Republic tried that once.” She had a hazy memory of allowing pirates to fly under a flag of commission in return for not attacking vessels in Republic space — but rather preying on the One Sith.

“I have no idea how it worked out, but if I’m to develop as a Jedi, I need to broaden my horizons. Negotiations are something I need to branch out into. And there is no time like the present.”

“So, would you like to lead the conversation, given you have all of the experience?”

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Pirates were a weird sort. They liked to attack… well everyone. As long as the ship had engines, and something worth stealing? They’d be firing all their mag pulses and ion shots at the ship until it stopped moving. Then, it’d be gassed up so the passengers and crew could be ransomed. The ship would either be taken, if it was better than the one the pirates were using or there were a lot of pirates, otherwise, they’d tow the ship and scrap her.

That was a sad fate for any vessel.

“Did they? I wasn’t… I was trying to work with the Jedi Order, but just didn’t fit me then. Now I kind of work with the New Jedi Order, but if our cousins need anything moved, they might know I’ll help.” Really, Kaia was that kind of lightsider. If everyone was happy and good and on the light side? She’d do everything she could to help them.

If they were dark… meh, not so much.

“The Alliance uses a merchant fleet. It’s a bunch of smugglers and the like flying for the same cause. They work pretty well together.” Kaia nodded, with a smile. She laughed as she looked at her friend. “I can do my best!”

[member="Nubica Felidae"]

 

[Nubica Felidae]

“Smugglers?” Nubica was a little surprised. Her experience of the Alliance was one similar to the Republic. The Jedi were a little more rough around the edges — more down to earth — but smuggling was against the law in any language.

Yes, she was aware that a word was just a word, and taking something to a One Sith world to help the locals probably counted as smuggling — technically. So she was hardly one to pass judgement — as she’d done precisely that before. She hoped the surprise her voice hadn't leaked through too much.

“Sounds more like a family than a fleet. Which is a good thing by the way.” She’d met plenty of siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles since she’d joined — too many to remember in fact. She was, in truth, still a loner. Not that she minded particularly. But roots weren’t something she’d learned to put down just yet.

“OK, when’s the ETA?”

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Kaia didn’t mind smugglers. Maybe it was because it was part of the family business, maybe because they worked to do what she worked to do, keep space lanes free and clear. Sure, they might not go out of their way to help people, like she would, but they definitely signaled blockades and anyone trying to push unnecessary tariffs out of their way. And that was definitely a Starchaser friendly choice.

Smugglers were very useful, they took the jobs for the thrill of it, mostly, and that meant getting things to the people in need. She herself did some smuggling for the Underground, working on moving products past the One Sith and into the hands of the people who needed them. Sometimes weapons, sometimes medicines, sometimes clean water. To Underground members and more.

“Sometimes it is like that. I mean, my family is all pretty close, aside from the wayward cousin here and there. But with the smugglers and merchant fleet, its one of those… I hate to say ‘good old boys’ club, but that’s almost what it is. We all recognize each other’s ships and everything.” She smiled. “Should have about and hour. Looking for a nap?” She laughed.

[member="Nubica Felidae"]

 

[Nubica Felidae]

Nubica listened to Kaia. Nubica saw herself as a well-travelled and well-rounded individual. As a Jedi she’d visited more planets than the average person could name. But on a recent mission she’d been aware of how isolated her life was. She jetted into a situation, acted and jetted out. The job was dangerous and high-paced and suited a loner like herself. But in some ways it was not fulfilling.

Not in the same way a family was. Or a group that bonded and socialised and looked out for each other. The way Kaia described her family and the fleet – call it merchant or smugglers. So, possibly for the first time in her life, he envied someone. Or something to be more precise. A way of life. She was good at what she did, but it didn’t feel like a lifestyle choice. She needed a role. And whichever way she looked at it, a place to be part of something bigger.

Maybe she was over-thinking things? Perhaps? But the thoughts wouldn’t go away.

”Just wondering how long I’d have to take a look around your ship. Get to learn the controls.” She fished into her bag and pulled out two sodas, offering one to Kaia. Taking a large swig, she smiled. ”A girl could get used to this.”

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]

 

[Kaia Starchaser]

Well-rounded? Kaia Starchaser? Maybe not really. She had her own isolations, and fears. Kaia wasn’t one for being comfortable on a planet. She liked doing her work, salvaging, a little bit of smuggling, and most importantly, helping those pilots who needed it. Assisting with ship repairs (she was getting really good with electronic systems), or chasing pirates off, it was surprising how fast they ran when someone turned the tables on them. They weren’t stupid.

Sort of.

The dark haired girl loved her life, she loved being between the stars, but she did become a chatter box when the time came around for it. Like, when she had a passenger. “So what about yo--- Soda! Yes please.” See? Excitable. She took the soda and smiled. “What about you? Where are you from? What do you do, gotta be more than just being a Jedi, right?... Didn’t mean it to sound that way.”

She was just a Warden, after all.

[member="Nubica Felidae"]

 

[Nubica Felidae]

Nubica took a second swig. She loved the fruit flavour and the sugar was an added bonus. With her metabolic rate, she needed the energy.

She actually looked slightly perplexed at Kaia’s question. As if she’d been asked a particularly difficult quantum physics equation to solve at the same time as arm-wrestling a wampa.

“Me? Um…yes…I’m a Jedi all right. Born and raised on Naboo, well until they figured I was Force-sensitive. Then I was packed off to Ossus to learn the ways of the Force.” She put on a mock sombre tone for the last few words. “I found it all a bit dull, truth be told. Except the saber training.” Her eyes lit up at the mention.

“I spent every available minute learning about the Forms. And sparring. They say my other Abilities were neglected as a result.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe, but it was worth it. I truly feel alive when I have a saber in my hands.”

“And with all the poodoo surrounding the Republic, I was left alone a lot of the time. So I went on missions and learned to fly. Finally I got a Master and made my own saber, and then…” She seemed momentarily lost for words.

“I felt…lost. Wrong…no not wrong but, not right either. I needed to broaden my horizons. Which is why I came to the Alliance. To the New Jedi Order. To see life as a Jedi from a different perspective.”

“But…I guess that’s all I am. A Jedi. I don’t feel like I have a life outside of being one. So, to answer your question honestly, there isn’t more to me than being a Jedi. I fly and fight and fly and fight. And I don't even know what sort of Jedi I’m supposed to be.”

She sighed and smiled. “Which all sounds a bit deep right? Maybe I just haven’t found my niche yet? Yes?”

She looked at Kaia as if she held all the answers.

[member="Kaia Starchaser"]