Star Forge - Chapter 5

I had one blaster out and aimed at Avar as we walked down the corridor to his private room. My other hand was free in case I needed to grab him if he tried to run. Any of the slaves we saw along the way simply watched in awe as we passed. Avar tried to order them to attack me, but a smack upside the back of his head shut him up.

The door to his room was hard to miss. While the rest of the place was standard, this one had an intricate, swirling pattern carved into it.

"Open it," I ordered.

Avar rushed over to the door and slapped at the controls. He tried to rush into the room before I could get in. I shot him in the lower leg to remind him it was a bad idea to annoy me. He crawled along the floor toward a control panel next to his bed. I strode by him and got there first. The controls were for the security droids and automated defenses, both of which were currently at the 'off' selection. From this panel I could control almost every aspect of the compound.

"Where are the slave controls?" I asked.

He didn't answer. I turned back to see that he had lost consciousness at some point.

My helmet picked up the sound of feet approaching. I adjusted my aim to the doorway and waited. A minute or so later a blue Twi'lek woman tentatively peeked inside. Her eyes widened when she saw the trail of blood that led to the still form of Avar. The brief flash of pure joy vanished as she realized I was there as well.

"I know how to get in the vault!" She yelled as she raised her hands.

"What about the slave chip controls?" I asked.

"Slave chips?" Her brow crinkled in confusion. "I know where they are."

"Do you know how to use it?" I asked before she could speak again.

"No," she scoffed. "Why would I be here if I did?"

"Fair," I replied. "Is there a kill switch?"

"What?!" She yelped.

"For him," I motioned to the unconscious Rodian. "If he dies, the chips go boom. Does that sound familiar?"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't think so. He's already dead."

"Not yet," I said.

She watched as I kicked Avar. It didn't have much power behind it, but it got a reaction. The Rodian let out a pained groan but didn't rouse.

"He's not dead?" She gawked at me.

I shrugged then shot the Rodian twice between the shoulders. The Twi'lek watched with wide eyes. Her hand clapped against the base of her neck as though that would stop the explosion. We would never find out if it worked. Her chip didn't explode.

• [Rodian Preservation Society]
  [+100 FP]
  [Rolling the Dice]
  [+100 FP]
  [Balance: 1000 Forge Points]
  [Purchase Bookmarked Item?]

Mentally, I agreed. The feeling of something moving around me made my vision blur for a moment. It was like someone had shifted the entire room over while I was in it. Without a doubt, I knew that the Droid Control Ship was not in the Hangar of my Warehouse space. I didn’t have a reason to go back until now.

Back to the matters at hand.

"No switch," I said shrugging and holstering my blaster. "We need to deactivate the chips before we open the vault."

"We?" The Twi'lek asked.

I tilted my head to the side in a silent question. Her cheeks darkened with a slight blush.

"Right," she practically skipped across the room. "The vault is right over there."

She pointed to a large portrait of Avar that rested on the far wall. He must have spent all of his money on shiny things rather than security. I doubted my next targets would be this easy. Avar was primarily a merchant with some middling contacts, this level of security was probably decent by that standard. Taking down an actual criminal organization, even a small one, wouldn't have the same vulnerabilities.

"Noted," I said. "The controls?"

"Over here," she motioned for me to follow her.

She led me to an inset door on the wall behind the too-large bed. I recognized a panic room when I saw one. There were some food packets, a blaster, and a bank of monitors that were of a significantly higher quality than those in the security control room. A little box the size of a remote control rested in a cubby protected by a force field. The most disturbing part of the device was the spike on the bottom. If this guy had put as much effort into the rest of the place as he did into the panic room then I would have had a lot harder time with this.

I decided to indulge in some classic logic of the setting and blasted the console. Everything flickered, then powered down, the forcefield on the cubby as included. I plucked it from the spot and held it up for inspection.

"Why is there a spike?" I asked as I showed her.

"That's how they install the chip," the Twi'lek said it like it was obvious.

"And remove it?" I sighed.

She nodded.

"Of course it is," I muttered. "Ready?"

She leaned her head down. There was a pinprick scar near the base of her skull. The remote was straightforward. Place against the scar, hit disable, then press remove. She let out a single squeak when the spike did its thing.

"It has to be done for every person, one at a time," I stated.

She nodded.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"What?" The Twi'lek flinched.

"Kiskin Aurelian," I knocked a knuckle on my chest. "You are?"

"Oh," she said softly. "Mette."

• [Making Friends]
  + 100 FP
  [Balance: 100 Forge Points]
  [Roll – Bank – Shop]

Why the hell not? Roll.

• [Cost: 400 Forge Points]
  [Item: A Glass Coffin]
  [A body that lies within this coffin will not perish. A magical blessing allows those within to rest and recover, requiring no food or water, and healing any injuries or diseases. It can bring back the recently dead, but it will take nearly a year of uninterrupted sleep.]
  [Bookmark – Purchase – Dismiss]

Interesting, but not something I needed at the moment. Shop. Nothing happened. Well, I guess I couldn't change my choice after the Roll. Good to know. Dismiss. I would have to wait until I earned more points to access the shop for Blade Master.

"Gather the others," I told her. "We'll do this in one go."

~

I had expected this to take a few days of integrating myself to the place, learning the security, and some subterfuge. Now, I had fifteen newly freed slaves and had to figure out what to do next. They were all female and Twi'lek. The older ones, those being maybe forty at the most, had been removed from the pleasure jobs and moved to service options. Those in skimpy bikinis and nearly-transparent clothing were in their teens to early twenties, or whatever the Twi'lek equivalent.

We all stood around the guard canteen staring at each other. There was a lot of crying, hugging, and language that I didn't understand. Either they were speaking in something that didn't come loaded into my brain or were simply not making sense.

"What do we do now?" Mette asked.

"Whatever you want," I replied with a shrug. "We'll see what is in the vault before you decide."

"Why?" A Twi'lek with light purple skin asked.

She was one of the older former slaves. There was a swirling scar along her lower left jaw. It didn't change the fact that she was gorgeous, but a bastard like Avar saw her as damaged goods.

"You need money to survive," I replied. "I'd like a cut, if there's any left."

The group went silent at my words. I slowly looked around the room, making sure to 'meet' their eyes as best as I could. My helmet meant that I didn't actually have to move to see any of them. This felt more personable.

"Ok," Mette said the word too fast and too loud like it would prevent me from changing my mind.

The entire group headed back to the main room. No one argued when I tore the portrait from the wall and tossed it away like trash it was. Mette stepped up and entered the code. The door popped open a little as the air pressure adjusted.

"Wait," I snapped before they could open it fully.

I motioned for them to step back. They did after a moment. I hooked the edge of the door with the toe of my boot and pulled it open. A turret popped down from the ceiling, centered on me, and opened fire. It slammed into my chest plate and punched me off my feet. The armor held, instinct kicked in, and I activated my jetpack. I righted myself to land on my feet.

My hands moved in a blur as I drew my blasters and sent a barrage of at the turret. It wasn't my finest moment. Most of my shots dented the protective dome and the ceiling around the turret. A shower sparks told me that one or two must have hit something important. One of the barrels hung low, pointing at the floor while the other spun in place.

I kept my blaster aimed on it for a moment longer. My HUD scanned the turret telling me it was disabled. It also traced the power cable through the ceiling to a hidden panel near the edge of the doorway. It also identified a couple tripwires. I popped it open to find a simple on-off switch. The light in the vault dimmed once I flipped it.

"Let's try that again," I said as I stepped inside once more.

Nothing happened. I holstered my blasters after another scan of the vault.

"Go ahead," I called over my shoulder.

I let them go through the contents while I turned my attention to the readout on my HUD. My chest armor wasn't compromised, but it would need some maintenance once I was back on the ship. I'd be fine aside from some bruising. A starburst shaped blemish in the paint marked where the turret had hit. Still, my armor hadn't been dented, Beskar was amazing.

"Are you alright?" The purple Twi'lek asked.

"Nothing hurt but my pride," I replied.

She stared at me for a moment.

"You're not what I thought a Mandalorian would be," she said.

I didn't say anything. We stood there in silence as the others went through the vault.

"Are you going to join them?" I asked.

"Not yet," she answered. "Are you going to repaint your armor?"

"Gives it character," I replied shaking my head.

"I'm Adyan Moorint," she offered.

"Kiskin Aurelian," I answered. "What do you want to ask me?"

She paused at my blunt question.

"I'm a mechanic," she said. "You have a ship?"

"Yes," I nodded. "And I have a mechanic."

"I'm a pilot too," she countered. "But..."

She motioned to the base of her skull where the chip had been.

"Kaboom," I finished for her. "Fine." I sighed. "You can join my crew on a trial period. I'm hopping off planet after this. You can decide if you want to stick around after."

She smiled brightly at me before she rushed into the vault. It took a bit longer for the ladies to settle on who would take what. The skimpily dressed ones replaced their wardrobe with pieces from Avar's closets. It wasn't the best quality, but it was a step up from scratchy, cheap fabric and too much skin.

I ran through the various scans and functions of my armor that could be controlled via my HUD. As it was, everything was operating in an acceptable range. The turret would have blasted a hole through any of the slaves if they had taken the shot and maybe a person in light armor. My body temperature was fine, everything was airtight, and I had yet to use any of the built in bacta-spray. The connection with my ship was still strong which I took to mean that Shmi and Anakin were still on the planet. If they did leave they had found another ride.

"We're done," Mette said approaching me cautiously. "The rest is yours."

The assembled Twi'lek women were now dressed in a mixture of Avar's less ostentatious clothing. He had had a penchant for colorful items which made them look like an eclectic troupe of traveling dancers. The parachute pants a few wore didn't do them any favors. At least they wouldn't be mistaken for slaves.

Interestingly, they now had a few blasters among them. I inclined my head to show I heard her, then entered the vault. There wasn't much left, a few containers of spice, a mostly empty rack of blaster rifles, and a small, open box with Republic Credits in it.

I made sure they weren't looking when I added the credits to my wallet. Once I was sure it was clear the contents of the chest vanished. I didn't have to answer any questions it may have inspired, but it was just easier to prevent them from the start. An actual inventory option would make things so much easier. Maybe that was why I didn't have one. I had an audience, and they wanted a show.

The remaining blaster rifles were of the heavier variety, the equivalent to a machine or mini-gun. I preferred something fast and accurate but having something with more punch would be nice. My HUD identified two of the blasters; an Exarch MK-2 that looked more like a rifle, and an E-15 Assault Cannon that was literally a portable cannon. They were too big and bulky to carry around. Neither would be part of my every-day loadout. Nice to have options though.

Mette and Adyan were the only two still in the room when I stepped out.

"The others are taking one of the ships," Mette offered before I could ask.

"Their call," I replied easily. "This place belongs to you now. Not a good idea to stick around for long."

"Can I come with you too?" Mette asked.

I looked from the blue Mette to the purple Adyan. The younger Twi'lek had on normal clothes now, but it was plain to see that she was gorgeous and had a body to kill for.

"Any skills?" I asked.

"Um," Mette gulped. "Me."

"Ass, grass, or gas, eh?" I quipped.

The two stared blankly at me.

"Are you offering your body as payment?" I clarified.

She blushed and suddenly found the floor in front of her to be rather interesting. After a moment, Mette nodded.

"I wasn't used for that," she quickly clarified. "You can have a doctor check if you want."

"That's not the issue," I held up my hand before she could continue. "Any woman I take to bed will be by choice." That seemed to ease her worry a touch. "Plus, you have no idea what I look like, or who I am. I could be hideous."

"Are you?" Mette asked with a gasp.

"Maybe you'll find out one day," I replied. "I came here in a speeder. It can take two people, not three."

"There's a shuttle," Mette spoke quickly. "We can load your speeder in it and then go to your ship."

"Is there any way to identify where it came from?" I asked after a moment of thought.

"No," Adyan answered. "I made sure the ships and shuttles registered blank on any scans. As for as anyone can tell, they're all minecarts."

"Nice," I chuckled.

"Standard practice around these parts," Adyan said.

"Fine," I turned to face Mette. "We take the shuttle. I have space for a passenger if you want to come with me. You can either pay for passage, or work for it."

The two visibly tensed at my words. Did they not just hear what I said about being a bed warmer?

"How could I do that?" Mette asked barely above a whisper.

"You could sell the shuttle to buy a spot," I offered. "Or you could do odd jobs around the ship. I have two humans on my crew and a squad of droids. There should be something for you to do."

"Ok," Mette smiled brightly.

I deactivated my helmet speaker and activated my in-built comm.

"Shmi, Anakin, come in," I called.

"Kiskin?" Anakin's voice said in reply. "Are you hurt? Do we need to come rescue you?"

"I'm fine," I replied with a small smile. "It's already done. I'll be there later today with two guests."

"Guests?" Anakin asked. I could almost see his face all scrunched up in confusion.

"They might stick around longer," I added. "We'll see."

"I'll let mom know," Anakin said then ended the connection.

I reactivated my helmet speaker. It had the option of modulating my voice to sound completely different, change the volume, or completely silence anything I said. The standard setting was simply to project my voice for others to hear.

"The ship will be ready for us," I told the two. "Show me this shuttle."

~

• [Picking Up Strays]
  [+100 FP]
  [Look What Followed Me Home]
  [+100 FP]
  [Balance: 300 Forge Points]
  [Roll – Bank – Shop]

I ignored the little jabs at my proclivities and opened the shop.  

• [Captains Skill Set – 100 Points]
  [Blade Master Skill Set – 100 Points]
  [Lovers Touch Skill Set – 100 Points]

The last one was new. Was it a not-so subtle hint for another sort of content the audience would like? It wouldn't hurt to try. The sacrifice was great, but I would do what I must.

• [Blade Master Skill Set Purchased]
  [Balance: 200 Forge Points]

My helmet was muted as I waited for the shuttle to finish the short trip to Mos Ila. I had originally planned on taking a quick nap before the points notifications popped up. Thankfully, I was sitting down, otherwise I may have collapsed. A webwork of hot needles started at the top of my head and raced along the entirety of my body. I screamed louder than I had ever done in my life. Nice way to find out my helmet was soundproof when sealed.

It wasn't a quick process. My muscles learned and adjusted to a lifetime worth of swordsmanship to match the knowledge that saturated my brain. I stayed conscious through the entire thing. On the plus side, I now knew how to handle bladed weapons masterfully, be it a lightsaber or metal.

I had closed my eyes at some point. When I opened them I found that Mette and Adyan hadn't noticed anything had been wrong. I took a few deep, calming breathes before I unmuted my helmet. Adyan was still flying the shuttle while Mette watched the world pass by. There was a lot of sand.

"Do you want to keep the shuttle?" I asked once that my voice was my own.

"No," Mette shook her head. "I'll sell it."

We exited the shuttle to find the dockmaster waiting for us. I didn't remember them, but I recognized the uniform. It could have been a shift change. Regardless, the human man stood in shock as I emerged.

"I need to sell the shuttle," I said as I stalked over to the dockmaster.

They shrunk a little as I approached.

"Will you buy it?" I asked.

"We don't buy ships," the dockmaster whimpered.

"Anyone who does?" I asked crossing my arms.

The dockmaster nodded so fast I thought he'd give himself whiplash.

"Mette," I turned to speak to her for her benefit. "Talk to the man. I'll load your things into the ship."

Mette and Adyan shared a look. After a moment they split, one going with the dockmaster and the other waiting for me. Adyan gathered their items from the shuttle. They had grabbed a good chunk of loot from Avar's vault as well as the few items they had claim in their quarters. It might be a surprise, but slaves didn't have a lot to call their own.

"Anakin, Shmi!" I called once we were inside.

No one answered.

"The others aren't here. Pick a room," I motioned to the row of crew quarters. "There's enough space to have your own."

"How many others?" Adyan asked.

"Two," I replied. "My mechanic and…" I searched for the word for what Shmi did. "A steward."

"Steward?" Adyan asked raising her eyebrows.

It struck me as odd that Twi'lek didn't have hair, but they did have eyebrows.

"You'll see," I replied.