𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘿𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙇'𝙎 𝘼𝘿𝙑𝙊𝘾𝘼𝙏𝙀 • 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙫𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

NINE

             

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CHAPTER NINE:

An Unexpected Journey

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MY DAYS ALL BEGAN THE SAME.

I'd wake up at 5 in the morning, take a shower, change into my uniform, meet Noa at the end of the corridor by 6, and walk to my office to begin my workday.

It was calming, having a schedule. It allowed me to relax for that first hour of my day, knowing that everything would happen seamlessly in perfect order.

Two days after I gave the Stormtroopers the assembly, though, my morning was different.

As usual, I woke up at 5 and showered, but when I returned to my bedroom to pick up my fresh uniform, something fell from between the layers. This confused me, as my uniform was delivered each morning while I was in the shower, clean and unused. Looking down, I realized it was a card of some kind. It was white, with a small black square in the center. On the top read the words "DOCKING BAY 132". Realizing it was a key to one of the hangars, I decided to find a guard after changing into my uniform.

"I think I was mistakenly given this," I told him, holding out the key to him.

He looked at it before his eyes met mine again. "It wasn't a mistake, General. Your ship leaves in twenty minutes, so I suggest you make your way there soon." He rushed away, leaving me confused. I wasn't told that I'd be going anywhere, but I didn't want to disobey any orders from my superiors. Instead of driving myself crazy thinking about it, I rushed to the Docking Bay, making it there with five minutes to spare.

When I scanned the card onto the small screen on the wall, the door opened, revealing a hangar much smaller and quieter than I expected.

"You're late, General Damri," A woman with a stern look told me, before gesturing over to a yellow ship. "Go, before it leaves without you on it."

Utterly confused, I decided against angering her any further and jogged over to the ship. The door opened and a set of stairs extended out, which I made my way up. I didn't see or hear anyone else on the ship, making me think this had all been a mistake in communication. To be sure, I made my way to the cockpit, shocked when I saw who was sitting in the pilot's seat.

"You're late," Vader commented curtly.

"Lord Vader," I breathed out, standing in the doorway. "What's going on?"

"I trusted an incompetent guard to get a message across to you," He said bitterly, while I slowly walked over and rested my hands on the co-pilot seat. "Sit down."

"Where are we going?" I asked with bewilderment, doing as he said. It was surreal that I was sitting on a ship with Darth Vader, my heart beating incredibly fast with both fear and excitement. I wasn't sure which was more prominent.

"I have some business on Naboo," He revealed cryptically, making my eyes widen as he brought the ship to life.

"General Rivven told you about the plant?" I asked, wondering whether Rivven had in fact redeemed himself.

"No; I read your notes," Vader admitted, making my stomach drop as I desperately tried to recall any potentially embarrassing information I had recorded in my notes. "They make for an intriguing read."

"I really, truly appreciate this," I told him, my heart soaring with joy. "I owe you one. Another one, on top of the one from before."

"Very well," Vader replied while the ship left the Death Star and flew through the sky, leaving me to watch the stars. "You're in dangerous territory, General. That makes two favors you owe to me, now."