Dual post…

C1-88 returned the now empty tray to the bar. All it’s inputs indicated the patrons were satisfied and currently not needing any help. That wouldn’t last.

As if reading his processor, Zaaya uttered a brief growl, and C1-88 began the quick walk to the corner where his owner sat and read. It’s all she ever seemed to do, and C1 worried, well as much as a protocol droid could worry, that his Wookie owner needed more physical stimulation.

“Yes, Lady Zaaya?”

With no real effort, C1-88 switched to Shyriiwook. Very few patrons ever bothered to learn the language, so they could speak freely.

~ What have I told you about the Universe? ~

~ Lady Zaaya says many insightful things. ~

~ If you grind down every atom into it’s finest and smallest parts, do you know how rare it is to find in the natural universe even an iota of compassion and selflessness? ~

~ The words for such things exist. ~

~ And so the cause is not lost. Get word to this man, I want to meet him. ~

C1-88 looked at the name on the display. Alejan Cracmorr

~ I will reach out. ~

[hr]

In a seedy bar off one of main hyperspace lanes, Alejan Cracmorr sat nursing a drink while an army of droids repaired his ship. Twirling the ice in his glass as he thought.

“Spice, guns, slaves..”his new firstmate growled with some irritation.

“They will be expecting us to do that,” the young Captain said.

Something in his gut was telling him those were the wrong thing to do.

He looked up to gauge his seconds’ reaction. He was not sure if his crew was with him or about to mutiny. He knew loyalty among pirates was only good if they were getting paid.

Alejan had been where he was, trying to find the most lucrative job for the ship and keep the captain happy.

As two storm troopers entered the bar, he calmly looked down at his glass and swirling the bluish green liquid. Alejan knew he needed to stay out of sight of those white armored goons and their superiors and more to the point he wanted to stay out of the reach of the Hutts. The troopers would throw you in prison, but the Hutts would kill him or worse, take his ship.

He slid the payment to the barkeep and headed towards the side door. There was a report of a Jedi causing problems and Alejan was fairly sure they looking for that problem.

“Water,” he said calmly.

“Biivren, just had a major failure of their treatment systems and people are getting sick,” the captain said.

“More specifically, ice,” he added.

“That is the dumbest..” his firstmate said as blaster bolts started coming out the door behind them and the hum of a lightsaber filled the air.

His comm chirped as his firstmate dragged him down an alleyway as more stormtroopers were approaching the bar.

“Your ship is done and the payment cleared the galactic bank,” a feminine voice said that made Alejan shudder.

“So, get it out of my space dock!” Shima Shi added with the tone of a spurned woman.

More bolts and blasts were flying in the street as the pair calmy made their way back to the ship.

“What would have happened if we had order for spice, of slaves, or weapons?” The captain asked as a pair of stormtroopers took notice of them fleeing the area.

A note sat on the Pilots seat in a fancy envelope.

“Who put this here?” The Captain asked punching the buttons to close the door before the storm troopers arrived.

The clamps released as the RN9 took the ship up and out of the space dock.

Chirps and beeps came back at him.

“No, they were after some Jedi, not us. And I don’t always have people shooting at me when I arrive back at the ship,” The Captain said.

He checked the system and asked RN9, “Where the hell is the crew?”

His first mate laughed and said, “When they heard water…”

A few blaster bolts flew up at the ship. They would not even mark the paint and he admired the stormtroopers dedication. In a matter of minutes, there would be Tie Strikers on them.

“RN9, Get us out of system and scan for trackers,” The captain said as

He opening the note, read it, turned it over and read it again.

“Lady Zaaya, wants us to make a visit. It says she might have a job for us!” The Captain said with a smile on his face.