The Klatooine Rescue

[Cassius Droma]

The harsh desert sands of Klatooine wore away at everything, physical and metaphysical. Nothing could escape the sweltering heat and coarse winds. Between rock formations, a single speeder bike made its way across a seemingly endless landscape, a trail of dust kicking up behind it. The rider was dressed in all tan or earthy tones, covered in head to toe in order to escape the harmful UV rays beating down on him. Goggles and a scarf kept the sand out of his eyes and face, as well as concealed his identity.

When Cassius Droma had found out that an old friend had been captured by Klatooine slave traders, he had immediately prepared the Stardust Melody for take-off. Captain Athos Antero had been in command of one of the many patrol frigates that helped protect many of the cargo freighters that made their way through Wild Space.

Cassius had gotten to know him very well during his years as a fighter pilot, and the two of them bonded over many joint missions. There was a kind of brotherhood and comradery that came out of those patrolling groups in Wild Space, an unspoken coalition that helped them all fight off the relentless hordes of pirates that tried to steal from them. Antero was one of the finest men Cassius knew, and he would go to the ends of the galaxy to help him.

From what Cassius could gather, a brutal attack by Klatooine slave traders had wiped out nearly the entire crew of the frigate Antero was commanding, and the captain was taken hostage. There wasn’t anyone to mount a rescue, and time was running out. So, Cassius decided to go on his own mission to recover Antero.

Gunning the engine, Cassius sped across the terrain, going a little bit above cruising speed for the speeder bike. He knew where the encampment was – the slave traders weren’t exactly bashful about their location. They were still open for business, after all. The plan as of now was to try and run surveillance as much as he could before making his move, probably in the dead of night.

That was, of course, unless something else interfered with his plans.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine had been to Klatooine many times throughout her life. The young Jedi had a special, but complicated connection to the desert world. Though her travels had taken her across the galaxy, no matter how far – she returned yearly with her Master, a pilgrimage back to where it all began.

Each year, Yves Galen brought Sabine back to see if any of her kin had come forward, and each year they received the same answer: no. The trip would end with a journey into the desert, to reflect and pay respects. Together, they would stand in nearly the same spot where Yves had witnessed the shuttle crash that changed his life. They would bow their heads, speak a few words, and then resume their travels.

This time, Sabine had come by herself, and her purpose did not include a visit to the crash site. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to set foot there alone, without the steady presence of Master Galen. The two Jedi had become fixtures of this place, well-known by the local government by now. They had been called to assist with smugglers that had settled in the desert, their party members wreaking havoc on nearby towns and ships that came to ground.

Master Galen had surprised Sabine by sending her alone.

It was odd, being here without him. But Sabine was forced to push this thought away; it was time to prove herself. Hidden behind a rocky outcrop, she lay belly down against the sandy ground. Clad in desert garb, she blended in with the surroundings and had a bit of protection against the heat. A white veil strung up from one ear to the other, obscuring all but blue eyes.

If her information was correct, there should be a scout on approach soon. Sabine had the idea to incapacitate him and take his place, giving her the chance to infiltrate the camp and take them out from within. And like clockwork, she spotted a speeder bike cutting through the plain desert landscape. A smile tugged the edge of Sabine’s mouth. Up until that moment, her force presence had been dampened, but it would become apparent in a sudden burst.

Using the force to power her movements, she sped forward and leapt – a swift blur of white linen.

Her arms swung, hoping to knock her target right off his ride…

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

So far, the ride had been fairly smooth. Boring, even. The path was pretty straightforward, and Cassius hardly had to do any sort of navigating. The loud drone of the speeder bike engine was lulling him into a sort of auto-pilot mode, something he was used to on long flights. He still kept both hands on the handles, knowing that at any moment he might need to dodge an incoming rock structure.

Suddenly, something woke him out of his bored state. It was hard to determine, but there was a rush of urgency and apprehension that swirled in his chest – the Force trying to tell him something. Someone was near, someone powerful in the Force. He let off the accelerator and the speeder bike just barely started to slow down. Cassius spun his enrobed head, trying to determine where the danger was…

Only moments after he had detected something was wrong, a body collided with him, from the direction he had been turning his head to face. He couldn’t even see who or what it was, only that it was humanoid. With a surprised yelp, the wind was knocked out of him and he flew from the bike, his back crashing harshly with the coarse sand. Due to his momentum, he spun uncontrollably, hitting his chest and back multiple times before coming to a stop near where the speeder bike had eventually slowed due it not having a rider anymore.

His body ached with pain, but his adrenaline told him that the danger was still nearby, and that he needed to address the threat quickly. The two ideas clashed as he struggled to stand, his arms already sore from the collision with the ground. After a few seconds he was on his feet, shakily backing away from his attacker.

“Hey!” he yelled. Reaching to his belt, he pulled out a shock baton and powered it on, a dangerous popping of electricity sounding. With the baton grasped firmly in his right hand, his left hand was held up in order to push this attacker back if need be. “Who are you?”

At the moment, he wasn’t too keen on reaching for his lightsaber just yet, much less using any Force abilities. He still didn’t know who this person was, and it could be a test by the slavers to see who was coming to their camp. As his focus became more refined and he got a good look at the attacker, he could see that they had a feminine figure, the only thing visible being piercing blue eyes.

Well, she didn’t look like a slaver, he had to give her that.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine’s eyes narrowed as she collided with her target, knocking him off his speeder bike. Unlike the rider, she was prepared to hit the ground. Tucking her chin, she would use to momentum to send her into a roll. Her shoulder took the impact, and she hit a bit harder than she expected, sending up a flurry of dry sand as she tumbled. It hadn’t happened quite as gracefully as she’d planned, but Sabine scrambled back to her feet.

Much to her benefit, it took the rider a moment to gather himself, giving her enough time to shake the sand away from her face. Her hand hovered near her belt, where her saber was concealed beneath the flowing fabric of her tunic. Sabine didn’t even flinch as he shouted, a shock baton held ready in his hand.

“This isn’t about me, mate,” Sabine answered, leveling her stare across the desert sand at the rider.

Sabine didn’t make a move, for now she would observe, another hasty move could cost her. After all, she wasn’t all that keen on taking a hit from the shock baton that lit up in the man’s grip. On first glance, there was nothing all that alarming about his appearance; he could have been any number of desert-goers at this point. But truly, she knew that few would venture this far out unless they had a purpose.

As her eyes studied his form, clad in earthen shades, Sabine reached out with the force. But, her senses found nothing of note, just a heartbeat. The Knight drew the force back around her, just in case.

“You’re one of Deller’s goons, aren’t you?” She canted her head to the side ever so slightly, eyes focused on his. “I know the camp is situated near here.”

Sabine’s hand brushed the fabric of her tunic away to reveal the hilt of her saber, that was usually enough to send a message.

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

The masked woman was already up before he got a chance to get ready, and a fleeting thought crossed his mind that it was odd she didn’t attack him once more. He had been at a complete disadvantage. Maybe she was still finding her footing, but she could have easily pounced on him again before he got his shock baton out.

As the adrenaline started to fade somewhat and his focus became more clear, his mind went back to what he felt before he was attacked – a presence in the Force. He’d been actively hiding his Force signature up until this point to keep incognito, but this woman was saturated in it. She seemed to reach out to him, and his presence recoiled even further, to the point where she might not feel anything from him.

He kept silent for the most part, trying to figure out what her intentions were. She asked him a question, one that revealed more about her, if anything. She thought he was one of Deller’s lackeys… Deller was the head of the slave traders where Antero had been taken. If this was some sort of test by the slave traders, they wouldn’t have gone about it this way.

Then she showed her hand – the lightsaber on her belt. Jedi, he had to assume. There was another possibility, that this woman was merely a desert raider that had been blessed with the Force and had either constructed or found a lightsaber. He found that hard to believe, though. Trust her, a small voice in his head whispered.

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” he finally said. Only moments after she brandished the hilt of her weapon, the shock baton deactivated, and he dropped it onto the sand below. Removing his face-wrap and his goggles in an attempt to look more personable, he said, “We’re on the same team, I believe.” Reaching behind him, he grabbed his own lightsaber, which had been wrapped up at the small of his back. He balanced it in his palm and held it out to her.

“See? Jedi, Jedi,” he nodded to her. Clipping the weapon on his belt, he explained, “Deller’s guys took a friend of mine – Captain Athos Antero. I was riding to their camp to get him back. I’m taking a wild guess and saying that you’ve been sent to snuff out the slave traders.”

He looked her up and down once more, trying to remember if he’d ever seen her before. “Who’re you with?” he asked, wondering if she was with the Silver Jedi, the New Jedi Order, or one of the smaller Jedi groups spread throughout the galaxy.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

When her opponent spoke of a misunderstanding, Sabine straightened up and came out of her ready stance. Through narrowed eyes, she viewed the man with a mild amount of skepticism. However, she watched as the shock baton went dark and then dropped to the sand at his feet. A desert raider or slaver wouldn’t give up their weapon so easily, especially of their own will. And then, he revealed his face to her as well.

“Are we, now?” She asked, canting her head to the side.

Were they on the same team? As his hand disappeared behind his back momentarily, Sabine remained cautious. Brows arched as a saber was presented to her, held placidly in the palm of his hand. Well, now she felt like a right git.

“I probably owe you a bit of an apology,” She started, and unclasped the veil, letting it hang down on one side, revealing her own face. Her youthful expression was accented by a faint trace of freckles across her cheeks, her complexion paler than most of the locals of the desert world. It was difficult to admit wrongdoing, especially a like this. However, Sabine cleared her throat. “Sorry about that. And you’re right; I’m here to deal with the slavers.”

The strawberry-blonde canted her head to the side at his question.

“With?” She blinked, but realized that he must have been referring to the several Jedi groups that existed. “Nobody,” She answered with a nod. “My master and I do not work on behalf of any Order.”

Sabine’s blue orbs eyed him closely, looking for any sign of insignias or the like. However, she knew that there was a strong chance that this fellow Jedi was simply here to rescue his friend.

“I’m Sabine Galen, by the way.” She offered a brief introduction, and moved forward to give a small bow of greeting. “You’re here alone?”

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

She apologized, and Cassius sucked his teeth and waved his hand dismissively. “Eh, don’t worry about it,” he said, unconsciously wincing at the burning sensation still in his elbows and back. “I would have done the same thing to a passing rider I was sure was a slaver. How else do you think I got the bike in the first place?” Indeed, this wasn’t even his bike. He didn’t want to take something into the camp that could very well be damaged by a slaver, so he ripped it off some other guy outside of a nearby town.

The woman made it clear that she was not affiliated with any sort of Jedi organization, and Cassius let go of a breath at that. Working with other Jedi groups could be complicated. Reports were requested, other people wanted to debrief… it all felt like a lot of red tape. Perhaps that was another reason why Cassius was distancing himself from all the other groups – the need for autonomy.

Sabine – that was her name. “Cassius, Cassius Droma,” he replied, nodding. “Yeah, I’m here alone, no groups to speak of. When I heard Captain Antero had been taken, I immediately spooled up my hyperdrive. I know those Klatooine slavers can be pretty nasty – the captain’s caused a lot of trouble for them over the years, wouldn’t be surprised if they were torturing him right now.” The thought made him grimace. This particular group was known for posting their kills onto the HoloNet in graphic detail. He had to stop that from happening.

“Speaking of which,” Cassius said, looking back to her, “I’d really like to get underway, and I think we’d definitely have a better rate of success if we work together.”

“Now, I have an idea… but I don’t think you’re going to like it…”

Sometime later, the speeder bike would be soaring across an open plain of sand to the slaver’s camp. It was a rather impressive compound for such a small group, with more permanent structure for living quarters, as well as a full hangar for starfighters and maintenance. Freighters were landed all around it… potential getaway vehicles, as far as Cassius was concerned. He gunned the engine, knowing that time was of the essence.

If Sabine had agreed with this plan of his, she’d be tied up on the back of the bike, his “merchandise” to sell. The ruse wouldn’t be for long, though – just to get them inside of the camp enough for them to spring into action.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine gave a brief nod to his introduction, noting his name, Cassius Droma. It seemed that there were still other unaffiliated Jedi out there, which came as something of a relief. Though she was not opposed to working with members of the various Jedi Orders, it did complicate matters. It was a large part of the reason that her own master had chosen the life of a wandering Jedi.

She understood the urgency behind his words, his friend's life was at stake. There wasn't any hesitation to accept his offer to work together, they did stand a better chance this way. Her hands gave her tunic and trousers a last dusting off, and then stood tall.

“Of course,” She started to say, and then paused to arch a brow as Cassius mentioned an idea...

Sabine swallowed, but gave a nod. “Alright, then. Let's hear it.”

Perched on the back of Cassius' speeder bike, flying across the desert – hands and feet bound. What had she gotten herself into? Shifting slightly on the seat, she tried to get more comfortable, without compromising her balance. The last thing she wanted to do was fall off the bake of the bike. But, no matter how uncomfortable she was at the moment, she knew that it would pass. Sabine even had to silently acknowledge that the plan was solid. Having dealt with her fair share of slavers, the young Knight knew that they had a soft spot for new goods.

As the outline of the slaver's make-shift complex rose on the horizon, Sabine drew in a deep breath of the dry desert air. It was nearly time to put the plan to action.

“Just give me a signal,” She shouted forward to Cassius, and then fixed the veil back over her face, the best she could with her hands tied.

Squinting, she could barely make out the shadows of patrols that were currently making their way round. No doubt they would be armed and ready to greet the new arrivals.

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

He nodded to Sabine – she would know when the time came to leap into action.

The speeder bike cut a clear line across the sand, the repulsors kicking up a large cloud behind them. Their arrival certainly wouldn’t go unnoticed, and Cassius was planning on that. As they neared, he could sense the presence of his old friend – feelings of comradery coming back to him. He wasn’t dead yet, if his senses were as attuned as they should have been. He did, however, feel pain coming from Antero.

Time was of the essence.

A small group of Klatooinian slavers had gathered at the gate where they were headed. It was less of a gate and more of just two metal poles in the ground denoting the official entrance. Either way, Cassius stopped just short of it, the engine coming to a complete stop. Hopping off, he roughly pulled Sabine off of the back of the bike, knowing that he would need to keep up the appearance of a gruff kidnapper looking to steal attractive women in order to sell them.

Sabine would still be armed, though, but the weapon would be well hidden. Cassius had a metal staff that he used as a walking stick – another item he pulled off of the original owner of the speeder bike. Sabine’s wrist in one hand, walking stick in the other, Cassius approached the small group of slavers.

“Che u,” Cassius spoke in Huttese as best he could. For you. “K’wanna thousand.” Five thousand.

One of the men scowled, coming closer to inspect the ‘merchandise’. He roughly tore the veil from Sabine’s face. He got close, uncomfortably close, presumably to make sure she wasn’t damaged. With a snort, he nodded his head back. Another of the men stepped forward, grabbing Sabine’s arm. Cassius didn’t let go, however.

“K’wanna thousand,” Cassius repeated, in a much firmer tone this time. The first Klatooinian shot him a look, his face wrenched in disgust. Did this desert bug really expect to get paid? He merely glanced at one of his cohorts, who then leveled a blaster rifle at Cassius’s head.

“Ah,” Cassius sounded. Guess he should have figured this was how it would have turned out. They were outnumbered, after all.

But not outmatched.

Cassius brought his metal staff up with blinding speed, knocking the blaster rifle into the air. With a wave of his hand, the binds around Sabine’s wrists unfurled. Within a moment, Cassius drew his lightsaber, the emerald blade springing to life with a brassy hiss.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine let out a startled cry as she was ripped from the seat of the speeder bike by Cassius' hand. The normally confident Knight had let her shoulders round forward, her posture meek and frightened. Though her blue eyes scanned the slavers quickly, she kept her eyes from meeting theirs as the negotiations started.

Five thousand? Was that a compliment?

Sabine swallowed hard as one of the men moved forward. She attempted to turn her head away, but the slaver tore the veil away. Her eyes narrowed, he was so close that she could feel his breath on her face. A small sigh of relief escaped as he finally moved away. But, one of his companions then took hold of her arm.

Her gaze shifted from the slaver man to Cassius, would she now become the object of a tug-of-war? She hoped not. Sabine felt the air growing charged around them, something was about to go down. Her feeling was confirmed as one of the slavers drew a blaster rifle and aimed for Cassius. Luckily, it seemed that her new Jedi companion was quite cool under pressure.

In a swift movement, he'd freed her of the bindings, allowing her to draw her own saber, the blue light ignited. With the first man taken aback, and his blaster file knocked away, it was one less to deal with. But, his friends were armed too... and they weren't about to go down without a fight.

“Your friend,” Sabine started, but paused as a blaster bolt fired in her direction. With a graceful flourish of her saber, she sent it back at the shooter, grazing his shoulder. “Do you sense him?”

With so many present, it was difficult for Sabine to pick out any single one, especially that of someone she'd never met. But, there was a rather dense presence nearby, perhaps a tent or complex that housed many. Sabine's head turned in that direction for a brief moment, but she was forced to move as the injured slaver fired off his slug thrower.

“Sod it,” Sabine spat, ducking and rolling out of the way.

Throwing her palm out towards the man, she sent a force push his way, strong enough that it knocked him clean off his feet and onto the flat of his back. However, it seemed that the two worked well enough together to make quick work of the slavers here.

“We don't have much time,” She said, looking to Cassius. “There's probably more on the way.”

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius weaved his way around the slavers to not only avoid the sting of their weapons but also attack, using the default non-lethal setting on his saber to cause some nasty bruises, singes and light burns. He flowed through the group like water cascading down a babbling brook, glad that he’d had so much useful training on Ando Prime. Ten months ago, if he had been in this situation, he would have had no recourse but to surrender.

Not now, though – not with the Force as his ally.

Sabine asked if he could sense his friend Antero. During a pause in the battle, Cassius’s eyes scanned the camp, his heightened senses due to the battle extending even further. As he looked at one of the metal, boxy buildings, a flash came to him, a memory of Antero – there. “I know where he is,” he nodded as he ducked under a Klatooinian’s staff and cut upwards.

The last man fell due to the two working together in harmony, and Cassius raised his blade into a ready position, scanning the area. Sabine was right – a few were already sprinting from the buildings and gunning towards them. “Follow me,” Cassius said to Sabine as he made a bee-line for the building where he felt Antero’s presence, calling a small blaster to him as he went.

With a good push with the Force, the locked metal door to the shack burst open, the metal crumpling and shearing. Inside were a few people, one of them wearing a blue jumpsuit – a uniform. The man looked up, the weathered and leathery face of Captain Athos Antero covered in cuts and bruises. Cassius looked to Sabine and pointed to the others in the room, signaling for her to gather them up as he went to his friend.

“Captain,” Cassius said in a voice as cordial yet rushed as possible. He put a hand on his friend’s shoulder as he handed him the blaster pistol. Antero slowly got up, grunting as his knees popped.

“Nice of you to drop by, Cass,” he rasped, a smile perking at the edge of his mouth.

“Can you walk?” the Jedi asked, knowing their time was shrinking by the second.

“Even run, if you need me to,” Antero nodded.

“Alright, let’s move,” Cassius said, already hearing the shouting and thunder of boots coming their way. Now they needed a way out – the hangar was close by.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine felt the force swell, and she glanced to Cassius as he attempted to locate his friend. The young woman had to wonder, was he a Knight like she was? His presence in the force was strong, if not yet, he had to be fairly close. But, her thoughts were redirected to the task at hand. Sabine's saber moved swiftly through the desert air, deflecting the last of the blaster bolts that came their way, just as Cassius took out their last close-range attacker.

Turning on a heel, she followed after Cassius as he sprinted towards one of the buildings. She could feel the steady hum of presences within, her companion seemed certain that Captain Antero was one of them.

Skidding to a stop, she watched as Cassius forced the metal door open. As it swung free, Sabine nodded to Cassius and stepped inside. “On it,” She replied.

As he moved to Antero's side, Sabine went to tend to the others. They shrank away from her, but soon realized that her presence was benevolent. “I won't hurt you,” She said gently, just to reassure them. “We're here to help.”

Helping a few to their feet, she gave them a quick once-over. They were weak and some had injuries, but they seemed to be fit enough to leave this place. And it seemed they would need to be quick about doing so. Sabine brought the remaining slaves over towards Cassius and Antero, she gave a small nod of greeting to the latter, noting his weathered appearance. He'd seen better days, she was sure.

“If you want to take the lead, I'll cover the rear.” Sabine said, taking a quick look outside. Their enemies were advancing fast.

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

Everyone was gathered up, and time was of the essence. They needed to move. He gave a quick glance over the room to make sure everyone was good to go. Antero gave him one more nod. Nodding back, Cassius reached his hand out, grabbing the door he had smashed in earlier. Just as the first hail of blaster fire pelted the building they were in, he flung the large piece of metal forward, hitting a small group of advancing Klatooinians.

Stepping out, Cassius swung his lightsaber in large arcs as he made sure he kept a pace that was fast enough to get where they needed to go, but slow enough to where they didn’t leave anyone behind. The hangar bay was close by, and soon enough, they were at the mouth of it. Cassius had already spotted the ship they were going to use – an older-looking Nu-class transport. While not as agile as perhaps his Stardust Melody, it was sufficient to get away from the pirates.

There was already a problem that he could see, however – docking clamps. There were mechanical clamps locked onto the landing gear of every ship inside the hangar, no doubt to prevent the very thing that was happening at that moment. Still swinging his saber this way and that, attracting more and more attention the closer they got to the ship, Cassius shouted to his recent compatriot.

“Sabine! There’s a control panel over there that will release the docking clamps on our getaway ship.” By now, the entire camp was bearing down on them. While they had taken down a few with reflected blaster bolts, there were still a dozen or more gunmen slinging rounds at them. “I can fire up the engines and get her prepped, but she can’t take off unless those clamps are disengaged.”

A lightsaber could perhaps cut them loose, but that would take too much time, and one of them would have to be too exposed to do it properly.

Reaching the Nu-class ship, Cassius led everyone up the ramp. “Cover us,” he said to Captain Antero as Cassius lowered the seat for the pilot’s position and raised himself into the cockpit. Immediately, blaster bolts started to smack against the hull. Cassius’s nimble fingers started to fly, cutting on the engines and activating the shields. Below, Antero had taken up a crouched position, firing as many bolts as he could at the slavers.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

As [member="Cassius Droma"] sent the advancing slavers a gift of metal, she watched the heavy door hit its mark. Then, their group was on the move. The green hue of her fellow Jedi's saber was in the air, protecting the group as they exited the building and advanced. Likewise, Sabine's blue saber weaved a pattern at the group's side as they following Cassius.

For the most part, her concentration was kept on the Klatooinians and their weapons firing. However, she managed a quick glance up ahead, it appeared that Cassius was leading them straight for the hangar. Pausing, she turned to swing her saber and block a blaster bolt, the red streak deflected back at its shooter.

Her head turned sharply as Cassius called to her, and her blue eyes snapped in the direction of the control panel. Sabine ducked down, a bolt narrowly missing. As one of the slavers launched himself at her, Sabine was momentarily knocked to the ground. However, she sent the man's body sailing in the opposite direction with a quick force push.

Before she could be hit again, she threw her palm out – the next round of bolts hit against a shimmering barrier made of the force. She could deflect a number of hits this way, she'd even joked with her Master that she could do it all day... but it took concentration. It was difficult to move and keep up a strong barrier.

“Right, Sabine...” She breathed, preparing herself.

Her eyes shifted in the direction of the panel once more. Drawing a breath, she drew the force around her body and suddenly bolted. At the same moment, the barrier dropped, but the shots fired found only empty space. The ship's engines were warming up, she could hear it. Sabine's hand slammed against the panel, the docking clamps disengaged. But, there was still a bit of ground to cover in order to get aboard herself.

A few beads of sweat slid down the side of her face as she made a bee-line for the ship, forced to weave, duck, and deflect bolts as she went. She spotted Cassius' friend on the ramp, her palm stretched out towards him. Would she make it in time?

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius’s hands went all around the cockpit of the ship, flicking on vital systems while ignoring a whole bunch of flight checks that weren’t exactly necessary at that moment in time. He’d gotten the shields up, and the smaller blaster bolts were pinging off the ship’s hull, but it would only be a matter of time before the slavers either rushed the ramp or found bigger artillery to hurl their way.

Engaging the weapon’s systems, the laser cannons on either side of the cockpit folded down, the mechanical servos clicking into place. With a loud retort, the laser bolts tore into the ground just in front of the hangar, sending dirt, debris, and a few slavers flying. It was a decent shot, and made the rest of the slavers duck for cover, but without movement, he wouldn’t be able to target much…

A loud clank below him told him the docking clamps were unlocked before the display in front of him informed him as such. Immediately, he put the craft into a hovering mode, just barely a meter off of the ground. Sabine might not have been in the ship just yet, but she’d get there in time… right? He could see her making her way towards them, blaster bolts just barely zipping by her. He eased the ship forward, hoping to meet her halfway.

The weathered, bruised hand of Athos Antero grabbed Sabine’s wrist as tight as he could and pulled. “I’ve got her, Cass!” he yelled up to his old friend, smacking the button for the ramp to close up.

With that confirmation, Cassius shoved the thrust as far forward as it would go, scraping the still un-retracted landing gear on the bottom of the hangar floor before finally breaking free. A flick of a switch later, the wings folded down, and they were space-worthy.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine was flooded with relief as the docking clamps released, and the feeling was only magnified as Antero's hand wrapped her wrist and pulled. Safe inside the ship, the ramp now shut tight behind her, Sabine took a moment to catch her breath. The ride was a little bumpy at first, but evened out – they were up and away.

“Hey,” She said softly, looking to Antero. “Thank you. I wasn't quite sure if I would make it.”

It was difficult to admit, but it was true.

She could hear the murmurs of the others they had rescued, it seemed that they were able to breath a collective sigh of relief, too. However, many of them were still reeling from their getaway. Sabine smiled slightly, she had a feeling that they owed their quick escape to the piloting skills of [member="Cassius Droma"]. Had she been here alone, she certainly would not have been able to pull this off. She'd underestimated the forces here, it was a work of the force that she'd run into another Jedi along the way.

Now that the two had had a chance to recover, Sabine nodded in the direction of the cockpit. No doubt, the other man would want to catch up with his friend a bit. For her own part, Sabine was curious as to what they would do next. Of course, the others would need to be relocated, she could help with that bit.

Entering the cockpit, Sabine spoke. “You've got some skills, friend.” A grin spread across her face. “And it's a good thing, too.”

She shuddered to think what would have happened if either one of them had slipped up. It would have made for a very different ending.

 

[Cassius Droma]

Captain Antero gave Sabine one of his classic side-ways grins. “No problem,” he spoke, his voice more raspy than usual. Limping to one of the jump seats in the shuttle, he sat down, heaving a great sigh. The blaster in his hand was loosely held, the former military commander holding onto it from instinct.

In the cockpit above, Cassius made a wide turn, realizing that they would go right back over the slaver’s camp on his way back to the Stardust Melody. Eyebrow quirking, he had an idea. Activating the targeting system, Cassius pressed down on the triggers, sending red plasma booming towards the hangar bay. Without any shields, the larger building exploded in a spectacular display, smoke and fire billowing from the empty shell.

Now on their way back to safety, Sabine had entered the cockpit. “Thanks,” Cassius said, almost absentmindedly as he flicked sensors on full, just to make sure no one was following them. “You’re not so bad yourself,” he finally looked at her. “I don’t think I would’ve been able to take on all of these slavers myself, or at least done so and still gotten the captain out in time.”

Within a few minutes, they’d landed near Cassius’s YT-1000 light freighter, Stardust Melody. Cassius lowered his seat from the cockpit down into the loading area and hopped out, letting the seat retract back up.

“Do you mostly travel alone, Sabine?” he asked, those they had saved filing past them out into the open air.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

Sabine grinned and took the compliment with a nod. With that, she turned her gaze forward and watched out the viewport as they sped far, far away from the slaver camp. After Cassius had lowered down into the loading area, Sabine hopped down after him. She glanced sidelong at him as he asked about her travel habits.

“Now I do,” She answered, “Up until recently, I traveled with my father – my master.” Indeed it was not the traditional master and apprentice relationship. “We've been all over the galaxy together, just the two of us.”

She wondered just what he was getting up to now that she was mostly on her own. However, Sabine imagined him sitting quietly somewhere, drinking a steaming cup of bergamot tea, hot. Deep down, she knew that his work as a Jedi was never truly done, he was probably out there helping others, just as he had always done. As she thought about her father, she gave herself a silent reminder to check in with him later.

“I think I know what he would say about our meeting today,” Sabine said, “The force works in very mysterious ways.” She added, in a deep, wise tone, an impression of her father. “Perhaps you two will meet one day, I think he would like you.”

Yves Galen had always liked to meet young Jedi, especially those that were skilled and eager to do good work throughout the galaxy.

“And what about you?” She turned the question back to Cassius. “Where will you go from here?”

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

As she explained her current situation and spoke of her father/master, a hint of a smile came to Cassius. Her impression reminded him of one of the monks he had trained with on the frozen world of Ando Prime. The sentiment rang true, no matter where Cassius went throughout the galaxy. Just when he thought he’d figured out the mysterious energy field that permeated their entire existence, something would come along that would surprise him.

“I think I’d like that,” Cassius nodded, leaning against the bulkhead. “I actually haven’t met too many Jedi Masters in my day.” That was only partly true. Sure, he had met men and women who had the title of master, but from the way Sabine spoke of him… he seemed like a true master. Someone older, wiser, and with the strength and abilities to match.

When asked where he was to go next, Cassius sighed. “Back to Teth – that’s where I’m currently calling home.” It was certainly shaping up to be something akin to a home, as living quarters were being set up and food stuffs imported in more sustainable numbers. “I’m trying to put something together, mostly just a bunch of old pilot friends and acquaintances. Hopefully, we’d do more stuff like this – fighting back against slavers and spice runners. Too much of that kind of thing going on in the Outer Rim and Wild Space, you know?”

Reaching for his belt, Cassius opened a pouch and retrieved a small, metal cylinder framed in glass. “My comm frequency,” he said, handing it to her. It would allow her to reach him across any distance, straight to his personal datapad. “If you ever see anything else like this, or need another helping hand, just let me know.”

“And we could always use people like you,” Cassius added. “Let me know if you ever want a more permanent place to stay.”

Was it forward of him, to already offer someone he had just met a spot on Jade Squadron? Perhaps, but just as she said: the Force worked in mysterious ways. Sometimes, you just had to trust it.

[member="Sabine Galen"]

 

[Sabine Galen]

A genuine smile crossed Sabine's face, warming up her some-what chilly countenance. She was sure that her father would delight in meeting Cassius. In fact, there could be some benefit to this meeting, she mused. If her impression of him was correct, he was not yet a Knight... but on the cusp. It wouldn't be long, his strength in the force had been readily apparent during their fight. But, instead of letting her thoughts run too far, she listened.

“Teth?” She echoed, “Well, I think I could make my way out there.”

She held out her hand as Cassius offered his comm frequency, the cylinder fell into her palm. It seemed that she had made a friend today, a good thing indeed. Truth be told, the galaxy could be something of a lonely place.

“Oh, really?” She wondered aloud, taking in his offer of a place to stay. “You know, that might be nice. I roam so much that no where really feels like home anymore.” Her shoulders rose into a light shrug. “It's tempting. Maybe I'll drop by with my father one of these days.”

It wasn't quite a yes, but it wasn't a no, either.

And, if they were exchanging frequencies, she figured that she ought to do her part. Opening a small pouch on her belt, she pulled out a small cylinder to hand over. “Here,” She nodded, holding it out. “Just in case you need. I'm always up to help out – it's my job, in fact.”

The life of a traveling Jedi was never boring.

[member="Cassius Droma"]