Zoie Hart

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Aellyn crossed her arms, watching as the Chiss peaked around the corner. Did he think that the junkers would come back with more of their friends? Her thoughts stopped, she didn’t consider that. Standing straighter, she stepped toward the main street as he introduced himself. Her head tilted down as he extended his hand towards her. Aellyn didn’t return the offer.

“We need to move…” She spoke matter of fact, taking him by his upper arm, shoving him forward before releasing him. They made their way back up the street,side by side, silent, until she finally approached her ‘squad’.

“Sir…” Speaking to Fel. She paused, she didn’t know what story to come up with, so she improvised. “Found the technician that needed transport back. Believe he got lost.

Aellyn just turned this plan inside out, she hoped that Fel and Jet didn’t mind the small hiccup.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

How do they see in these things? She muttered to herself as she fell behind Jet and Fel after tripping on yet another pile of junk. The armor smelled, the planet smelled, yet her moral compass landed her here. Her Empire way of thinking had come out again. Thinking she was better than this and some low level grunt could do it for her. Sighing, she adjusted the oversized helmet and hurried off to catch the crew of the UA. Aellyn wanted to see what her actions did to the galaxy, to the innocent people, like her father. If this was part of the journey, than she would suck it up and do it. Though, she would have to get dibs on the shower if they make it back to the ship.

As Fel made the called to halt, she stepped to the side of Jet, just so could see the settlement just above the rise. The helmet didn’t help much, seriously, how do they aim? She listened to the plan, the thought of just walking on seemed too easy. Even if they had papers. Maybe she should have waited with Wrench back on the ship.

“…just act like you own the place..” Fel muttered. She scoffed biting her tongue, sixty percent, her thoughts reminded her. Enough to get her to her next destination, her next check from her list.

As they entered Derrivan’s Point, Aellyn’s heart dropped. Her head turned left, then right as the realization of the Empire’s might came full circle. The dwellings were built into the massive piles of junk and scraps. The settlers using what they had around them to build some sort of life here. What life that was, she wondered. It wasn’t like anything she was use too. How could the senate let this happen?

As she was about to turn to catch up yet again to Fel and Jet, she saw, down an alleyway, a glimpse of a familiar looking uniform. Gray jacket, pants, black boots. A Chiss. All the way out here? Stopping, she figured she would take Fel’s words to heart. Act like I own the place.

Approaching the three junkers and the Chiss, she mustered up whatever courage she had and spoke directly to the Imperial. “Do we have a problem here, sir?” Her robotic, distorted voice coming through the helmet.

The twi’lek turned as well as his friends. They seemed to square up, like they wanted a fight. However, she seemed to have caught them off guard for now. Maybe this armor was useful, as awful as it smelled.

“This guy cheated in a game of Sabacc. We want our credits.”

Aellyn figured the Twi’lek thought she would bring justice to an outsider. That wasn’t the Empire’s way. “I doubt that is true. I suggest you three leave or I will arrest you. For disorderly conduct against an Imperial officer.. ” That seems like a good threat, she thought.

The twi’lek’s hand gripped the blaster on his right hip. He seemed to think on it before spitting on the ground next to his mudded boots. He turned and spoke to the Chiss. “If we see you again, let’s hope this trooper isn’t around.” He motioned to his friends as the three made their way past her, back toward the main street and more than likely the cantina to swindle more patrons.

Aellyn sighed in relief and looked back to the Chiss. New Plan, she thought. “Do you need an escort back, sir?” She had found an officer though she had hoped, she would have found a uniform to get her out of the one she was wearing.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

About a million questions started to flow inside of her head, however, she kept her mouth shut this time. The plan was going to go forward, whether she accepted it now or never. Aellyn picked up the helmet again, turning it over in her hands. If they were seen coming out of this pile of junk, no doubt they would be caught. She hoped that landing so far away would minimized that discovery. There were holes in this plan and has meticulous as she was, it hit every nerve. The thoughts lingered for mere moments. She sighed softly as she turned her attention to the mech.

“Are you really into this plan? Because honestly, this is half baked.” She spoke stepping toward the crate full of trooper uniforms. “I really hope these were sanitized before they were place in this crate..” Aellyn gave in and pulled out one of the smaller uniforms. “This smells of bantha poo-doo…” She scoffed, leaving the cargo bay and taking the few steps back to her room.

She had just finished pulling on the uniform when the ship landed. It didn’t fit quite exactly but it will do. She tucked her data pad inside the uniform and picked up the helmet. Stepping out, uncomfortable as she was, Aellyn made her want down the ramp to the junk filled planet.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Vinoor Kara. A name she instantly recognized. Highly praised, highly regarded in the Imperial ranks. He embraced the Empire’s rule with unwavering loyalty. Every campaign, every threat was met with little to no resistance. His political gains grew with each of his victories. No one questioned his methods. Aellyn caught the helmet that Fel tossed to her. Rolling it over in her hands as she stared into the black eye holes of the troopers helmet. This had to be the dumbest plan in the history of plans, she thought. Her brain was now in overdrive. The Pilot was right, Lotho technically was a good place to hide something in plain sight. However, a Star Destroyer? The planet had to be crawling with Imps, regardless of what Wrench said. No way the Empire was going to let anyone touch its prize ship and commander. She started to wonder if fifty percent cut was worth it.

“You are both either completely blind or stupid.” Aellyn rested the helmet on a nearby crate. “You want to go raid a star destroyer? What is it that is so highly regarded that this Abelene lady wants?” She shook her head, placing her hands onto her hips as she begun to pace the cargo bay.

Just hearing about the whereabouts of the Basilisk, five months after, she set out to uncover the truth. No ship just goes missing without notifying someone. Still, this mission didn’t sit right with her. It may be a simple one but with codes changing constantly, they had no chance to get in and out.

Aellyn turned to the Pilot. “I also never said I wanted in. I said if you needed me, I wanted fifty present of the cut. Though, now thinking about this brilliant plan of yours, fifty is not enough.” Her emphasis on brilliant was nothing short of telling the Pilot how dumb this plan sounded. She sighed, running her hand over her face. If they were taken captive or worse, Wrench was not going to let her fly out of here. They might actually needed her.

“I want sixty percent and I’m not dressing as a trooper. You need an officer."

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Her jacket hung loose against her small frame while she made her toward the cargo bay. With a glance, one knew it was made for someone much larger than her. She remembered the day her father handed it to her. Right before the Empire took him away. The jacket was heavy, not in the sense but of the life and duty it had seen. It smelled of oil from the shop and memories that she had long forgotten. It was a reminder of home and of why she was here in the first place. How she wished it was a different ship.

She stepped into the cargo bay, noticing the scattered containers. Could this place be any more disorganized? Her eyebrows raised, stepping past the pilot who seemed to have an interest in one particular crate. Leaning up against a stack nearby, her ankles cross as the canister hissed open. Her eyes shot open, noticing the armor that he had just revealed.

“You told her yet, Kid?”

Aellyn stood straight, her eyes going from the mech then back to the Pilot. Questions that needed answer filled her mind as the older man made his presence known.

“What? Why would he tell me anything? I’m the detour, remember? I didn’t even know we were going to Lotho until fifteen minutes ago?

To say she was pissed was an understatement. What the heck kind of a job are they running? “Someone better fill me in quick because with that armor and the ship codes. I gotta bad feeling about this.”

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Aellyn paced around the small room. She never thought she would find herself tangled in a smuggling operation. She had carefully calculated the right ship at the ports. Yet, here she was. Wrong. The routes and checks had panned out, she was lucky her contact was still playing nice. Reminding herself that favors are rare out in the outer rim. Aellyn rested her hands upon the desk, hovering over her data pad. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she read through a list of planets. A list she had put together before leaving Coruscant She was off course and this was a mere, ‘detour’, as the Pilot put it. Her eyes shifted to the old blaster she had managed to purchase from a sleazy looking Rodian. She hoped it actually worked.

“Kriff..” She whispered.

Picking up the blaster, she looked it over, she hoped her Academy skills would come back if something would happen. Maybe she should have paid more attention in class. Too late now. Sliding the blaster into its holster on her right leg, she picked up her data pad tucking it into a small bag, before slinging it onto her back. Aellyn stepped out of her room, figuring they would meet somewhere in the cargo bay.

Floating.

Bumping to top…looking for 1 or 2 more crew

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Aellyn sat unbothered, staring at the pale man before her. True, he never mentioned a run to another planet while she hopped and skipped to the next one. She did in fact choose this vessel over many options because it looked the worst, no Imperial ship would dare look at it twice. Heck, she did. Her eyes looked down at her data pad, still uploading. Could this be any slower, she thought.

“…you are the detour, Aellyn.”

A smirk formed across the woman’s lips as she stared down at her pad . The pilot pinched a nerve and he knew. For a moment, she wanted to throw a good right hook to his scrawny face but what would that do? Bruised hand. Left on the junk planet? Not worth it.

“A Job…on a junk planet?” She scoffed. “ You would have better luck selling this ship then find anything of worth down there. “ The upload completed as she pulled her data pad out of the console, sticking into a pocket while she stood from the co pilot seat.

“If you could both do the job yourselves, then why offer me at all, seems like you both got it covered. Besides, I’m the one who doesn’t need spending coin. However, if you think you need me, my fee is fifty percent of the cut. If not, I’ll wait for triumphant return of goods.”

She stepped toward the door of the cockpit, the mech was much larger than she remembered. “Someone is a bit grumpy looking…you should feed the big guy here?” Aellyn pointed to Jet as her head turned toward Fel.

”I’ll be in my room.” Stepping passed the large guy, she made the short walk back to the room she paid for. As she laid back on the bottom bunk, she had a gut feeling she was going to have to help out regardless whether she felt like it or not.

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

@Archazen heck yea! Let’s go!

'Floating' (Star Wars 2 BBY)

Aellyn laid on her back, staring at the bunk above her. Her hands rested on her stomach, fingers intertwined. She missed her apartment back on Coruscant. Comfortable bed, all the amenities. How did she end up on this piece of junk? Right. Moral conscience. Running from the Empire was no small trick. Erase her life. Take a new name. Thank you Empire for the tricks, she thought with a smirk forming with her lips. Her data pad beeped as she picked it up, bringing it above her head to read. “Finally.” She muttered. Her legs swung out as she stood from the bottom bunk. Pulling on her boots and stepped out of her room. The door swooshed closed behind her, as she made her way toward the cockpit.

Aellyn heard a hearty laugh as the door to the cockpit opened. The pilot and his R2 unit appeared to be doing some type of maintenance check. The ship really just needed to be sold for credits or parts. “Um, Hi…” She tapped her data pad against her hand as she moved into the co-pilot seat, next to the navigation system. “I have the latest shipping routes, Imperial checks, etc. The ones I promised you, when I asked for passage.” She held her data pad up before plugging into the console.

The R2 unit started to whistle and beep like a child throwing a tantrum. She smiled and placed a hand onto the top of his droids head. “It’s standard, no harm. Just some new charts, making it easier to get past any checks. Don’t want the Empire to be poking around.“ That seemed to calm the little droid, her eyes went to her data pad then to the navicomputer as the upload started.

“Lotho?” She paused looking at the Pilot. “You didn’t mention a detour when we were negotiating passage.”