Soldiers of the Stars

Chapter 14: Ghost of the Past

AGAMAR

GENERAL ACRUX

     All of this waking-up-in-an-unfamiliar-setting was getting old fast. A red energy shield buzzed around me. Each movement I made met with more discomfort. Something warm draped around me like a blanket. A coat. It was similar to the ones the Chagrian and Lasat wore. I traced my finger over the emblem on the left sleeve. The pattern; I knew it by memory. The maroon Convor. This coat. It was exactly like the one my father had.

     "You know, Jedi, our Captain is willing to make a deal with you." A tall, muscular, gray, and white female Nautolan sat across the room, munching on a Jogan fruit. My mouth watered, and my stomach growled.

     "Is that so." I arched my brow.

     "Give us what we want, and your friends will be spared. As for you, our Captain wants to extend an invitation to join our crew."

     "And if I decline this generous offer?"

     "You wouldn't be a good friend."

     My ribs throbbed from lightly chuckling. "The contents on that disk will be no use to a pirate. You've wasted your time."

     The Nautolan let out a low laugh. "Hon, I haven't the slightest idea what you are referring to. Don't play coy with me. I know the cloaking device is hidden. The crew has searched the entirety of that ship, and it's nowhere to be found."

     "Well, it is a cloaking device." Boy, was she going to be mad when she figured out it busted.

     She blew air from her nose. "I like you." She pointed at me. "You're funny. But you'll pay for each second you waste of my time." She pulled a device from her pocket and pressed a button. Electroshock probes dropped down into the cell, stopping mere inches away from me, sparking with jolts of electricity. "Do we have an understanding?" She smiled at me with her red lips.

     "So if I show you where it is, my friends go free?"

     She nodded. This was most likely a trap, but if there was a chance I could recover the disk from the ship and transmit the contents to the Republic, my mission would be complete. Then again, there was Gunner and Thane. I couldn't leave them to die. If I found a way to get them out, I could distract the crew and give them a chance to escape, and Gunner could take the disk. My head was clouded. There were too many variables. Then I recalled Krell's plead. Leave the Republic and vanish without a trace. Was this the path the Force wanted me to pursue? This was my opportunity to leave. But my men. Gunner. Force guide me, I thought. I hung my head. "I accept your offer."

      The energy shield fell. The Nautolan extended her hand. "Good choice." She helped me to my feet. Dang, she was tall. "The name's Nadia."

     "Bryka. Bryka Acrux."

     She came to an immediate halt; her mouth dropped, and her black eyes grew wide. "What did you say?!" Sparks of electricity shot around her, and she fell to the floor yelling curses, Renee behind her with her electroshock probe.

     "BLEEEEE BLOO BLEEP!" Renee danced in place. Guess the Force didn't want me a pirate after all.

     "Renee! I'm so glad to see you. Listen, we need to find Gunner and Thane. Can you get into their system?" I asked as I buttoned up the oversize coat one-handed, mindful of my left arm in a sling. Without question, Renee rolled over to the access panel and got to work. I attempted to drag Nadia into the cell I was kept in but was too weak. I searched the table on the other side of the room for anything to help me get leverage until I spotted a pair of binders. I snatched them and placed one cuff around Nadia's wrist and the other to the leg of the bolted-down table. Nadia groaned in pain. Renee bleeped with pride. "Good job! Let's go get our boys back." I stopped before slipping out of the room, observing the floppy tricorn hat on the table, and placed it on my head. Nadia gathered her wits.