Grey Jedi Order: Chapter 5 Smuggling Outpost, Nova

[Koichi]

"Hand me that spanner, C2."

 

"As you wish, Master Mount." C2 handed Ian the spanner from the tool box.

 

While in hyperspace, Ian had been going around and locating all the tracking devices that he knew of from when he was reading the schematics for the starship. That and he had Fives do a sweep for any devices that weren't part of the original design. They had been at it for almost two hours. In all, they located around ten tracers. Ian thought it excessive to have so many tracers for one starship until he looked up who the original owner was. Grand Master Zym. He couldn't help but smile at the idea that Zym had his ship stolen by the same person he had ordered to be removed from the Jedi Order.

 

Ian placed the panel back over all the ships circuit boards and wiring and began fastening the bolts. "That should be the last of them, I hope."

 

"Indeed," C2 replied confidently. "Fives and you really looked behind every panel on the ship."

 

"Well, I rather not have the Jedi Order or the Republic try to track our whereabouts so easily. " Ian finished with the bolts and gave the spanner back to C2, who placed it back into the tool box. The Jedi slid back from under the compartment he was working on and wiped his hands and face. He had changed into some civilian fatigues he found in the captain's quarters and hung up the Temple guard outfit. Ian made his way to the mess, where he got himself some water and something to snack on. C2 was busy taking inventory of the supplies on the vessel when Fives came in holding another tracer.

 

Ian praised Fives. "Well, well... nice going Fives." Fives shook side to side in pride, as Ian took the last of the tracers and crushed it using the Force.

 

C2 came to Ian and handed him the datapad. "I've checked our inventory. We have enough food and water for you for three months. Judging by the size of the cache in the cargohold, this ship was supposed to have a full crew for whatever trip they were planning to make. I do hope that the former owner won't have trouble acquiring another ship..."

 

"Don't worry, C2. Grand Master Zym has more than enough resources to find another vessel." Ian scrolled through the manifest. "...And judging by the list, it was for some diplomacy mission. There are several crates of rare wine and materials. That should come in handy...."

 

"Master?" C2 asked.

 

'Oh right. I haven't told you where we're going. There's a smuggling outpost that I recalled from my time in the Jedi Order. An 'acquaintance' of mine does business there. I figured I'd have her change the ships registry and ownership over to me. That and sell some of the things on this ship for credits. By now, my credit account is probably being monitored or frozen. Better I have the credits on hand than risk being tracked through any transactions I make from my account."

 

C2 and Fives looked at one another. "Um... Master Mount, you're not thinking of selling us as well, are you?"

 

Ian smirked "You can rest easy, you two. You've more than proven your worth. Besides, I need someone to help me take care of the ship."

 

C2's yellow lit eyes brightened. "Oh thank you, Master! Thank you!" Fives also whistled in gratitude.

 

C2 went to clean parts of the ship, while Fives went back to bridge to monitor the instruments. Ian took another bite from his rations before taking the datapad with him to his quarters. He hit a button on the panel by the door and waited for it to slide open. Ian entered, while going over the manifest. His brother's lightsaber was on a stand across from the foot of his bed where two statues of Jedi stood tall. On the beside table was a special forces Z-10 Heavy Blaster pistol. He had found it in the armory along with some blaster proof vest and a few other interesting items. Ian didn't know if it belonged to Zym or not. It most likely was from one of the other crew members, who was supposed to travel along with Grand Master Zym. In any case, it was his now and it would be useful when he got to the smuggling outpost. Especially since it would be bad to walk around with a lightsaber attached to his belt.

 

 

 

It wasn't long before they were within seconds from exiting hyperspace. Ian walked onto the bridge with his blasted in its holster on his belt and his blaster proof vest on. He sat down and placed his hand on the controls and began taking the ship out of hyperspace.

 

The smuggling outpost was an abandoned nova crystal mining facility on a lone asteroid. It was repurposed as a smuggling ring during the Mandalorian blockade. Also known as the Blockade of the Hydian Way.

 

Ian located the dock where his smuggler friend owned and proceeded to hail her.

 

"This is Ian Mount calling Chewkkata. Please respond. I repeat: This is Ian Mount calling Chewkkta. Please respond." Ian waited over the static of the signal until he was answered by a robotic female voice.

 

"This is Chewkkata."

 

"Hi there, Chewkkata. This is Ian Mount requesting permission to land."

 

"Sure, sweet thing~." Ian cringed. May the Force be with me...

 

Taking the starship closer to the asteroid, Ian made the proper calculations with Fives help and began docking. After the locks were sealed. Ian got up and walked over to the access hatch. C2 and Fives were right behind him. The rogue Jedi took a deep breath and prepared for the worst. He hit the switch on the panel by the hatch. As the hatch opened Ian was grabbed into a big strong hug by a towering, walking, brown furball.

 

"My heavens! It's a Wookie!" C2 shouted in surprise as he tried stepping back and fell over the railing behind him. Fives backed into the bulkhead, spinning.

 

Behind the abnormally tall female Wookie came a female looking protocol droid. Chewkkata began making short and quick roars.

 

"Chewkkata says: I am so happy to see you!" the female voiced droid translated.

 

Ian could feel his back popping along with his ribs creaking. "H-Hi... C-Chewkkata...Great...to see...you too...! Can... I have... my...lungs back...now...?"

 

Chewkkata stopped swinging Ian from side to side in her strong, unyielding embrace and put him on the ground, but didn't let go of his head as she continued stroking his hair. She was abnormally tall for a female Wookie. Usually male Wookies were supposed to be taller than their female counter part, but Chewkkata was as tall and strong as they come by any Wookie standard. Ian tried catching his breath while he was up to his neck in fur. Chewkkata began making moans and growls.

 

"Chewkkata asks: What brings you back into my little rock of the galaxy?"

 

Ian managed to break from the headlock she had him in and straightened his jacket and hair. "I've come here to do some smuggling business with you."

 

This got Chewkkata's attention. She responded that the protocol droid translated. "Oh really?~ I didn't know Jedi smuggled goods...."

 

"Yeah, well, I'm having to go on a mission that requires me to use other means of acquiring supplies."

 

Ian handed Chewkkata the datapad with the manifest and another datapad that had a list of thing Ian wanted to acquire. "I'll so need your slicing skills to change the ships registry and ownership over to me as "Kray't Beskar'baar. That and some forged ID tags, clothes, fuel cells, power cells, the works."

 

Chewkkata looked over the manifest with a smile. She roared followed by a pattern of growls and barks. "Chewkkata says she'll have no problem with items like these to trade with. Meanwhile, you and your droids are welcome to stay at our place."

 

"No! I mean-- No, that isn't necessary. I wouldn't want to be a bother. I can just stay on my ship," Ian quickly responded, but Chewkkata already had him back into a headlock and was dragging him out the airlock and onto the station.

 

"Master Mount?! I'm in need of assistance! I-I've fallen and I can't seem to get myself up!" C2 had landed on the stirs to the main docking ramp below in a awkward position that was very difficult for C2 to right himself. Fives, who finally was able to get its systems under control rolled over to peer over the steps to see C2 was face down with its feet laying up the steps and its head at the bottom of the steps. Still attached to its body. Fives turned around and revealed it cable gun in its rear and took aim. The astromech fired and hit the protocol droid's back. It then started dragging C2 up the stairs.

 

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! T7-55 what are you doing to me?!"

 

"C2 stuck = T7- 55 Helping." Fived beeped as the astromech continued helping C2 up the steps.

 

 

Table of Contents for Chronicles of Jedi Knight, Ian Mount: Link