Jaden gripped the training saber in a two-handed hold and faced Zule across the hideout's main bay, a sprawling duracrete space cluttered with crates, scrap piles, and cables dangling from the ceiling while she clutched her own saber tightly and crouched slightly with knees bent. They circled each other, boots grinding against the floor, and Jaden struck first, stepping forward and thrusting his saber at Zule's chest, arms extended for full reach. Zule twisted right, swung her saber down, and knocked his blade to her left, then lunged and swung a horizontal slash at his ribs, her grip firm on the hilt.
Jaden pivoted left, angled his saber downward, and blocked her strike, the impact jarring his shoulders, then spun right and slashed diagonally at her shoulder, shifting his weight forward. Zule ducked, flipped backward, and landed on her feet, then charged and jabbed her saber at his thigh, keeping her stance low. Jaden slid back, turned his saber sideways, and parried her jab aside, then stepped in, reversed his grip to hold the saber upside down, and swung upward at her arm, bending low. Zule leaned back, raised her saber vertically, and blocked, then kicked his chest with her right foot, forcing him to stumble back into a crate that wobbled.
Jaden caught his balance, flipped over the crate, and landed behind it, then swung his saber in a tight arc at Zule's head as she rounded the corner—she dropped to one knee, swung her saber across her body, and blocked, then surged up and punched his jaw with her flesh hand, snapping his head to the side. He staggered, switched his saber to his left hand, and slashed at her waist—she sidestepped, grabbed his wrist with her prosthetic hand, and twisted it outward, forcing him to loosen his grip. Jaden spun out of her hold, kicked her shin, and swung his saber with his right hand again, aiming for her shoulder—she parried, spun behind him, and hooked her prosthetic arm around his neck, yanking him back.
Jaden ducked under her arm, rolled forward across the floor, and sprang up, slashing at her legs—she cartwheeled left, landed, and thrust her saber at his stomach. He twisted right, parried her blade, and grabbed her collar with his free hand, pulling her forward while swinging his saber at her side—she broke free, blocked with a downward swing, and kneed his gut, making him grunt. He doubled over, swung his saber low at her ankles—she jumped, tucked her knees, and landed, then reversed her grip and swung upward at his chest. Jaden leaned back, raised his saber horizontally, and blocked, then spun left, kicked a crate at her, and watched it slide across the floor.
Zule vaulted over the crate, landed on her feet, and slashed at his head—Jaden ducked, slashed at her arm—she parried, stepped in, and punched his ribs with her prosthetic, the blow bruising his side. He hissed, switched his saber to his left hand, and thrust at her chest—she sidestepped, grabbed his arm, and flipped him over her hip, sending him crashing onto a pile of cables. Jaden rolled off, grabbed a cable, and swung himself up to a higher crate, then leapt down and swung his saber at her back—she spun, blocked vertically, and kicked his thigh, making him stumble into a scrap pile.
He pushed off, flipped backward, and landed near a wall, then charged and feinted a thrust at her face—Zule raised her saber, but Jaden dropped low, swept his leg at her ankles, and watched her jump over it. She landed, swung her saber in a downward arc at his head—Jaden rolled right, came up on one knee, and slashed at her hip. She twisted left, blocked, and grabbed his wrist with her flesh hand, twisting it until he dropped his saber—he yanked free, dove for the weapon, and rolled to his feet, swinging at her legs as she charged. Zule hopped back, slashed at his chest—he parried, spun, and elbowed her jaw, making her stagger.
Zule shook it off, reversed her grip, and swung her saber upward at his shoulder—Jaden sidestepped, switched his saber to his right hand, and thrust at her side. She spun right, blocked, and hooked her prosthetic around his arm, pulling him off balance—he twisted free, kicked her knee, and swung at her head—she ducked, punched his stomach with her flesh hand, and followed with a saber slash at his ribs. He twisted, took the hit on his hip, grunted, and tackled her, both crashing into a stack of crates that splintered apart.
They rolled apart, scrambled up, and Jaden swung at her arm—she blocked, kneed his thigh, and watched him wince. He swung his saber at her legs—she cartwheeled right, landed, and thrust at his chest—Jaden parried, grabbed her wrist with his free hand, and twisted it outward—she spun out of the hold, kicked his side, and swung her saber at his neck. He leaned back, blocked horizontally, and headbutted her forehead—she reeled, swung at his arm—he ducked, slashed at her knee—she jumped, landed, and punched his cheek with her prosthetic, bruising his face.
Jaden spat, charged, and swung a wide arc at her chest—Zule dropped to the floor, rolled, and came up swinging at his legs. He leapt over the blade, landed, and thrust at her stomach—she sidestepped, grabbed his collar, and yanked him forward while slashing at his shoulder. He broke free, took the hit on his arm, and tackled her again, pinning her against a wall—she hooked her legs around his waist, flipped him over, and straddled him, raising her saber. Jaden bucked her off, rolled away, and came up swinging at her side—she blocked, kicked his chest, and sent him sprawling into a pile of scrap that clattered across the floor.
Both panting, sabers lowered, Jaden wiped sweat from his face and said, "Time for a break."
Zule nodded, catching her breath, and said, "Agreed. Let's stop."
Zule limped to a container by the wall, leaned against it, and grabbed a water bottle, drinking deeply before setting it down and looking at Jaden. "We've been at this for days, training twelve hours straight. Why are you pushing yourself so hard?"
Jaden limped to another container piled with tools and parts, rummaged through, and pulled out two Bacta injectors, then hobbled over to Zule and jabbed one into her shoulder—she exhaled as the pain eased—and injected himself, feeling the ache in his side fade. He leaned beside her and said, "I need to get better with a saber. That Sith made a fool of me last time, and if we cross paths again, I can't let it happen twice."
Zule crossed her arms and frowned. "She's probably been training for years, Jaden. A week of this isn't going to close that gap."
He grinned and shrugged. "Maybe not, but I've got to try. Can't just sit around hoping for the best."
She stepped closer, grabbed his arm, and looked up at him, her voice tight. "This isn't a game. Velea and I watched that Sith nearly cut you down. You were this close to dying."
He turned to her, placed a hand on her shoulder, and softened his tone. "I know it was rough, and I'm sorry you had to see that. Hopefully she's gone—plunged into that abyss, probably didn't make it. But if she's not, I need to be ready."
Velea stepped out of the ship's hatch, wiping grease from her hands with a rag, and walked over to join them. "He's got a point, Zule. It's not just the Sith. Collan Eislo's a real threat, and if he's pulling the strings behind all this, the Eternal Horizon job is going to be dangerous."
Zule shook her head and crossed her arms tighter. "That's exactly why we shouldn't go. The crystal isn't worth risking our lives over."
Jaden looked at her and said, "It's not only about the crystal. It's about getting solid evidence that Collan's behind everything—the Temple attack, the attempt on Padmé, all of it."
Zule took a step forward, her eyes narrowing. "And then what? You get your proof—what's the next step?"
He held her gaze and said, "I'm going to kill him."
Zule froze, glanced at Velea, saw the same surprise on her face, and turned back to Jaden. "Kill him? Why not arrest him and let the courts handle it? That's how it's supposed to work."
Velea let out a sharp laugh and leaned against the container. "Oh, come on, Zule. You really think a guy like Collan can't buy his way out of a courtroom? Don't be so idealistic."
Zule rounded on her, voice rising. "I'm not idealistic. I just don't think murder's the answer. There's got to be another way."
Jaden stepped between them, raising his hands. "Hey, both of you, enough." He turned to Zule and said, "Collan had one of the judges at my pre-trial in his pocket. Who knows how many others he's got? He's responsible for the deaths of dozens of Jedi, he tried to kill Padmé, and he'll keep going unless we stop him for good."
Zule stood there, jaw tight, and knew deep down he was right—Collan's wealth and influence would likely shield him from any real consequences—but the Jedi teachings she'd grown up with whispered that murder was wrong, that there was always another path. She exhaled, nodded once, and turned to walk back into the ship, her footsteps echoing as she went, needing time alone to wrestle with it. Jaden sighed, rubbed the back of his neck, and leaned against the container, staring at the floor.
Velea stepped close, pressed her side against his, and rested her hand on his chest, looking up at him. "She'll figure it out. Just give her some space."
He nodded and met her eyes. "I don't like this either. Killing someone in a fight or a war, that's one thing—I can live with that. But planning to kill a man in cold blood? It feels a bit dirty, even back in the day the bounties I did were usually for convicted murderers."
She reached up, cupped his cheeks with both hands, and held his gaze. "That's because you're a good person, Jaden. You're not in an easy situation at the moment, and you're still trying to do what's right."
He snorted and looked away. "Good person? I'm not so sure about that."
Jaden breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling as he leaned his forehead against Velea's, their sweat-slicked skin touching while he closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled. "I can't wait to get out of this dump," he said. "Just pack up the ship and leave all this behind."
Velea tilted her head, her breath warm against his cheek, and smiled faintly. "The Unknown Regions... it's going to be incredible. All those uncharted systems, places no one's seen in centuries." Her voice picked up speed, excitement bubbling through. "There's so many rumors of ancient artifacts out there—lost knowledge, Rakatan tech that makes our stuff look like scrap. And new elements, maybe even materials that could power a whole fleet. Ships with tech so advanced we can't even dream it up yet."
Jaden chuckled, his hands settling on her hips as he pulled her closer. "We'll explore it all, you and me. Every corner, every star. Together." His tone softened, a quiet promise in his words as he looked into her eyes.
She grinned, eyes sparkling, and he leaned in, kissing her—his lips pressed firmly against hers, one hand sliding up to cup the back of her neck while the other tightened on her waist, pulling her flush against him. Her mouth opened slightly, and he deepened the kiss, tongue brushing hers as she sighed into him, her fingers gripping his shoulders. They moved together, slow at first, then hungrier, her teeth grazing his lower lip as she tilted her head. When they broke apart, both breathing hard, Velea leaned her head against his chest, her cheek pressed to his tunic.
She giggled, her hand trailing down his chest, fingers brushing over his stomach before slipping lower, grazing the bulge in his pants. "Is this for me?" she teased, her voice light but suggestive as she gave him a playful squeeze.
Jaden groaned, running his hands through his hair in exasperation. "I've spent the last five hours grappling with Zule. Cut me some slack, it's not exactly a mystery why I'm worked up."
Velea smirked, stepping closer and rising on her tiptoes, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered, "You shouldn't tell a girl someone else got you all hot and bothered." Her tone was seductive, teasing, her fingers lingering on his waistband before trailing back up his chest. "Poor form, Jaden."
He rolled his eyes, stepping back to lean against the container again. "At least the pheromones aren't hitting me as hard now. Guess I'm finally getting used to Zule's scent wafting around everywhere."
Velea laughed, going up on her tiptoes again, her voice dropping to a sultry murmur. "Or maybe it's because of all the times I've had my hands on you—rubbing your cock through your pants, pressing my breasts around your cock in bed." She paused, her lips curling. "Or could be this morning, when you were grinding against my bare ass in the shower. That ring a bell?"
Jaden coughed, his face flushing as he scratched the back of his neck, caught off guard. Velea giggled, stepping into him and wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. He looked down at her, a smile tugging at his lips, and leaned his chin on the top of her head, feeling her body relax against his.
He heard her sigh softly, a small sound that made him pull back slightly. "Everything okay?" he asked, tilting his head to look at her.
She nodded but didn't meet his eyes right away. "Yeah, it's fine." After a moment, she looked up, her expression shifting to something more serious. "But we need to talk about something important."
Jaden raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "Oh, you've got your big-girl face on. Must be serious."
She slapped his chest lightly and frowned. "Come on, be serious for once."
He chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright." He walked over to a worn sofa against the wall, dropped onto it, and grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby crate, taking a sip. "I'm all ears. What's up?"
Velea followed, sitting next to him and snatching the bottle from his hand, drinking deeply before setting it down and turning to face him. She took a breath, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her tunic. "Back in the black market, Zule and I talked. She... she told me she's in love with you." Her voice wavered slightly, hesitant, as if testing the words.
Jaden didn't say anything for a moment, his eyes fixed on the bottle in front of him as he processed her words. Velea shifted, leaning closer. "Did you hear me? I said Zule's in love with you."
He nodded slowly, setting the bottle down. "Yeah, I heard you." He paused, then looked at her. "I kind of figured she felt that way. There was this moment when we were researching Collan Eislo—she kissed my cheek, said some things. It wasn't hard to pick up on."
Velea tilted her head, waiting for more, but he continued. "Look, I'm not going to betray you. You don't have to worry about me running off with her or anything."
She giggled, reaching out to cup his face, her thumbs brushing his jaw. "I'm not worried about that, you idiot. That's not what this is about."
Jaden frowned, confused, and leaned back slightly. "I thought women got mad when their guy starts... you know, mates with someone else."
Velea wrinkled her nose and laughed. "Ugh, don't talk like that—it sounds so clinical. You should read up on Twi'lek culture sometime." She paused, her expression softening. "But seriously, how do you feel about Zule?"
He shifted, running a hand through his hair. "I hadn't really thought about it much, not until she kissed me on the cheek. Before that, it was just... us working together, you know?"
Velea rolled her eyes, smirking. "Oh, please. I've seen you watching her when she's exercising—those stretches she does in the bay? You're not exactly subtle."
Jaden coughed, his face reddening. "That's just the pheromones messing with me. They're hard to ignore."
She giggled, then grew serious, leaning closer. "Okay, but really—how do you feel about her now? No dodging."
He sighed, looking down at his hands for a moment. "It's hard not to care about her. We went through Jabiim together—fought side by side, ate out of the same rations, slept in the same mud. She's been through hell with me. But love? I don't know. I've never really felt it before, so I'm not sure what it's supposed to be like."
Velea slid onto his lap, straddling his thighs, and looked down at him, her hands resting on his shoulders. "What about me? Do you feel something for me?"
Jaden's breath hitched, his hands settling on her hips as he stuttered. "I... I'm not sure. I mean, you're amazing, but I don't know if it's... you know."
She smiled softly, brushing a finger along his jaw. "Calm down. Just look at me." He met her eyes, and she continued, her voice steady. "My mother used to say all beings are connected, but most can't feel it. If you look into someone's eyes, really look, you can sense the connection between you. So look into mine and tell me what you feel."
He shifted, a nervous chuckle escaping. "This is silly, Velea."
She raised an eyebrow. "You can lift things with your mind, Jaden. This is no sillier than that."
He laughed, shaking his head, then leaned in, locking eyes with her. "Fine, I'll play along."
He studied her face—her warm brown eyes, the slight curve of her smile, the way her lekku framed her cheeks. At first, he just saw her features, familiar and striking, but as he kept looking, a spark flickered in his chest, small at first, then growing, like a current pulling him closer. Her eyes held him, steady and open, and he felt something shift inside—a warmth spreading through him, a certainty that this was where he belonged. He saw her laugh in his mind, the way she'd teased him in the shower that morning, her body pressed against his; he saw her fixing the ship's wiring, cursing under her breath; he saw her standing by him in the black market, ready to fight, he saw the first moment he met her when she had been trying to deconstruct the Hammer, he saw the nights they'd spent together working on different formula trying to discover an alternative method of space travel... in the end he saw her, he really saw her. Every moment stitched together, and the feeling in his chest swelled, undeniable, tying him to her in a way he couldn't explain.
"What do you see?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
He blinked, startled, and swallowed hard. "I see you. Someone I want to be with... forever." Her smile widened, radiant, and the warmth in his chest flared brighter, almost overwhelming. "Velea, I... I love you," he said, the words stumbling out.
Her face lit up, and she laughed, a joyful sound, before kissing him hard, her lips crashing into his as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her closer, one hand on her lower back, the other in her hair, kissing her back with equal intensity, their mouths moving together as she pressed herself against him. "I love you too," she murmured between kisses, her voice giddy. "I was starting to think you'd never say it."
She peppered his face with kisses, her hands roaming his chest, and the air between them grew heated, her fingers tugging at his tunic as she shifted in his lap. But she pulled back suddenly, pressing a hand to his chest. "No, not yet. Wrong time, wrong place."
Jaden groaned, leaning back against the sofa. "You're killing me here."
She smirked, sliding off his lap to sit beside him. "Tell me what you feel about Zule."
He sighed, rubbing his face. "I don't know. She's... yeah, she's attractive, and I care about her a lot. We've been through so much together. And I'm glad she's sticking with us now, after leaving the Temple."
Velea hummed, resting her chin on her hand. "That's a good start."
He raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She leaned closer, her tone gentle but firm. "Zule's in love with you, Jaden. After everything she went through on Jabiim, everything she's given up leaving the Jedi, it'd be cruel to shut her out. Her whole life, the Order taught her to deny any kind of connection, any kind of... well, love. She's finally letting herself feel something, and it's for you."
He frowned, crossing his arms. "So what are you suggesting I do?"
She shrugged, a playful glint in her eyes. "Feel things out with her. We're going to be together for years in the Unknown Regions, right? It'd be a lot less awkward if you were open with both of us. Twi'lek culture's a bit more... flexible about these things."
Jaden sat there, silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I'll think about it. It's a lot to take in."
She smiled, resting her head against his shoulder. "That's all I'm asking. Just don't overthink it."
...
Later that evening, Velea had slipped inside the star yacht to check on Zule, who had calmed down after her time alone and was now sorting through her gear. The three of them gathered in the main hangar, preparing to leave the hideout for a meeting. Jaden crouched beside an old, battered shuttle—the one they'd once planned to equip with a warp drive—running a diagnostic on its flickering control panel. Velea, adjusting her tool belt, glanced over at him, her brow furrowed with curiosity. "Okay, refresh my memory. Who's this guy we're meeting again, and why are we trusting him?"
Jaden kept his eyes on the panel, tapping the screen as it sputtered to life. "Gav Torren. Been working with him since I was a kid, back when I started taking bounty jobs at eleven. He's a fixer—deals in equipment, intel, anything you need, no questions asked. For the Eternal Horizon, he's got stealth gear, profiles on workers we can replace, and dirt on people we can bribe or blackmail. Plus, a cloaked two-seater ship. Gav's a bit of a sleaze, but he's got a decent streak. Always came through for me."
Zule, standing nearby and inspecting her blaster's charge, looked up with a skeptical tilt of her head. "And we're taking this junker of a shuttle? It looks like it'll disintegrate before we hit the lower levels."
Jaden smirked, flipping a switch that made the engines groan and sputter to life, the shuttle shaking slightly. "Gav's delivering a haul—too much for the us to carry. And I'd rather keep a low profile. The gangs are still out for my blood, and that Mandalorian's probably lurking somewhere, waiting to cash in on my head."
Velea nodded, climbing into the co-pilot's seat and buckling her harness, her fingers already dancing over the console's controls. "Makes sense. The less we show our faces around here, the better."
Jaden settled into the pilot's chair, his hands moving over the controls as the shuttle rattled like a loose bolt in a socket. Zule strapped into a rear seat, gripping the armrests as the ship vibrated beneath her. "This thing's older than half the Jedi Council," Jaden muttered, wrestling with a stubborn throttle lever that stuck halfway. "Engines sound like they're choking on gravel."
Velea snorted, eyeing the co-pilot's display, which flickered and spat static. "If this bucket holds together long enough to get us there, I'll owe you a drink. Why didn't we scrap it ages ago?"
Jaden grinned, coaxing the shuttle off the hangar floor with a lurch that made the frame creak. "Because we didn't have the star yacht at the time." The ship wobbled, then steadied, and he guided it through the hangar doors, which groaned open to reveal Coruscant's neon-lit undercity. They descended into the lower levels, the glow of the upper city fading into a haze of smog and flickering signs.
Zule leaned forward, peering out the viewport at the crowded platforms and towers below. "So, what's the plan exactly?"
Jaden kept his focus on the controls, navigating a sharp turn around a crumbling spire as the shuttle rattled. "I'll break it down soon, but first, I need to confirm this heist is even possible. Gav's got the gear we need—stealth suits, slicing tools, EMPs—plus intel on the Eternal Horizon's security, worker schedules, and some high rollers we can lean on. If he's got what I asked for, we're golden."
The shuttle shuddered as they sank deeper into Coruscant's underbelly, landing on a cracked platform in a district reeking of burnt wiring and cheap booze. Jaden powered down the engines, which wheezed to a stop, and they stepped out into a grimy alley lined with flickering holo-ads and clusters of shady figures. As they moved, Zule's pheromones drew eyes—three humans and a Rodian slunk out from the shadows, leering and muttering. One grabbed for Zule's arm, his fingers brushing her wrist—Jaden spun, drew his blaster, and fired a stun bolt into the man's chest, dropping him instantly. Another lunged, and Jaden sidestepped, slamming his fist into the thug's jaw, sending him crashing into a pile of trash. Velea pulled her blaster, covering Zule as the rest of the group hesitated, then bolted into the dark.
Velea holstered her weapon, glancing at the graffiti-smeared walls and pools of oily liquid on the ground. "This place is a pit. I think I'd rather take my chances with the Sith."
Jaden chuckled, wiping blood from his knuckles onto his pants. "Yeah, well, this is home. Grew up a few levels from here."
Velea and Zule exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of shock and curiosity, but they stayed quiet as they followed him through the alley. They reached a massive, rusted warehouse, its walls patched with mismatched metal plates and streaked with grime. A lone security camera swiveled to track them, its lens catching the dim light.
Zule hesitated, eyeing the building skeptically. "This is really the place?"
Velea stepped over a pile of discarded circuit boards, her nose wrinkling. "I hope not. It looks like a scrap heap."
Jaden looked up at the camera and raised his voice. "Gav, it's Jaden. Quit messing around and open the door."
After a brief pause, a loud clank echoed, and the warehouse door slid open, revealing a cavernous interior crammed with stacks of crates, piles of contraband, and half-dismantled speeders. Velea raised an eyebrow as they stepped inside, dodging a dangling power cable. "Does this guy ever clean? It's like a droid graveyard."
Jaden shrugged, leading them through the cluttered maze. "Gav's not much for housekeeping, but he knows every bolt in this place. Don't worry."
They reached the main area, where Gav Torren stood behind a counter overflowing with datapads, tools, and half-eaten ration packs. A wiry human in his late fifties, Gav had greasy gray hair, a patchy beard, and a stained jacket that looked older than the shuttle. His face split into a wide grin when he saw Jaden, and he hurried around the counter, arms outstretched. "Little Jaden! Thought you'd forgotten your old pal Gav!" He pulled Jaden into a quick, rough hug, clapping his back hard. "Good to see you still kicking, kid, how you been?!"
Jaden grinned, returning the clap. "You too, Gav. It's been a long year, that's for sure."
Gav stepped back, wiping his hands on his jacket, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Long year? Understatement of the century. Your name's been lighting up the holonet like a supernova—stirring up all kinds of trouble." He glanced at Velea and Zule, his grin widening as he gave a theatrical bow. "And who're these fine ladies? Got yourself a proper crew now, eh?"
Jaden gestured to them. "Velea, best engineer in the galaxy. Zule, toughest fighter I've ever met. Don't try to sell them anything—they're not here for your pitch."
Gav winked, undeterred. "Pleasure to meet you both. Got some top-shelf silks in the back—make you look like royalty. Or maybe some custom blaster mods? Lightweight, double the range. Name a price, I'll cut you a deal."
Jaden rolled his eyes and cut in. "Gav, what did I just say? Now you got my order or what?"
Gav paused, then nodded, his tone shifting to business. "Right, right, I got everything you asked for. Some of it was a pain to track down, but you know I always deliver." He turned, shouting into the warehouse, "D3-87, haul the gear out here!" He led them to a cleared space where worker droids rolled in crates of equipment—stealth suits with adaptive camouflage, EMP grenades, slicing kits with neural interface plugs—and a sleek, cloaked two-seater ship, its hull matte black and designed to clamp onto larger vessels for covert boarding.
Jaden ran a hand over the ship's hull, inspecting its contours. "Solid work. What about the profiles?"
Gav pulled a datapad from his jacket and slapped it on the counter, swiping to bring up two files. "Your targets. First up, Taren Vok, human waiter in the Eternal Horizon's main dining hall. Lives in a rat hole on Level 1313, owes half the undercity for gambling debts. Slip him some credits, he'll do whatever you want. Second, Lira Senn, Zeltron server in the VIP lounge. She's got a side gig selling gang secrets to tabloid slicers—threaten to expose her, and she'll cave. Schedules, access codes, shift patterns, it's all there." He swiped to another file, detailing the Eternal Horizon's security—three battalions of automated droids, biometric locks on restricted areas, and patrol routes synced to a central AI. "This ship's a floating fortress, Jaden. You sure you're ready for it?"
Jaden nodded, scrolling through the data with a focused frown. "Got to be. Thanks for this." He pulled a holochip from his pocket and slid it across the counter. "Blueprints, as promised."
Gav plugged the chip into his datapad, scanned the files, and let out a low whistle. "You're insane, kid. This is gold." He pocketed the chip, grinning. "Always a pleasure doing business with you."
He stepped away to grab the last of the gear, and Velea leaned in, whispering to Jaden. "This guy's like a walking black market. You sure his stuff's going to hold up?"
Jaden smirked, keeping his voice low. "It looks rough, but Gav's gear is solid. Never let me down before."
Zule, standing nearby, frowned at the crates. "Those blueprints—what exactly did you give him?"
Jaden rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Velea with a sheepish grin. "Don't get mad, okay? They're the schematics for the tri-engine setup I designed for the Hammer."
Velea's eyes widened, and she smacked his arm, her voice rising. "You've had those plans this whole time? I've been killing myself trying to reverse-engineer that system for months, and you didn't say a word!"
Jaden winced, holding up his hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll give you the blueprints too, I swear."
She crossed her arms, pouting. "You'd better, or you're bunking with the droids."
Gav returned, handing Jaden a final crate of slicing tools, and clapped his shoulder. "Watch yourself out there, Jaden. Whatever you're after on that ship, it's a big gamble. Make sure it's worth it."
Jaden nodded, his expression serious. "You take care too, Gav. Thanks for pulling through."
...
Back on the shuttle, worker droids loaded the last of the crates into the cargo bay, the ship creaking under the weight. Jaden settled into the pilot's seat, powering up the controls with a series of reluctant hums. Zule, strapping into a rear seat, glanced at him as he activated the ship's comms, typing out an encrypted message. "What's that about? Who're you contacting?"
Jaden kept his focus on the console, sending the message with a final tap. "Need one more person for the crew to make this heist work. Someone I can count on."
Zule leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "Who is it?"
He leaned back in the seat, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You'll find out soon enough."
...
In a plain, sparsely furnished room at the Jedi Temple, a soft beeping broke the silence, echoing from a terminal on a simple desk. The space felt untouched—bare walls, a neatly made cot, a single chair pushed against the corner. Scout stood slowly, her movements heavy, her face pale and shadowed, hair falling unevenly around her shoulders. Her eyes, dulled by recent struggles, carried a faint flicker of life as she crossed the room. She accessed the terminal, and a message appeared. A small smile crossed her lips, the first in days, as she read the words, a spark stirring in her chest.
(AN: So we have the crew and the equipment now we need the plan and the set up and then we have the Gala. I think I'll probably post the next few chapters first and then immediately start working on the Gala one as I expect it to be a long one maybe 20k-30k words. But yeah a lot is going to happen. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
(AN 2: Gala turned out being 50K words lol)
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