Star Wars - Empire of the Innocents

9 - Encounter in space

In the vastness of space vacuum, a small Corellian freighter floated as if adrift. With only its primary systems functioning, the ship was nothing more than a dull speck, blending in with the distant celestial bodies in the background.

In the dimly lit cockpit, an R3 unit monitored the ship's sensors, alert for any changes in that quadrant of one of the furthest systems from the galactic center.

The multicolored lights of the control panels were reflected on the transparisteel windows of the cockpit and on the droid stationed where the co-pilot's seat had once been.

In one of the tiny crew cabins, a ten-year-old girl observed the nuances of the stained ceiling. Lying on a retractable bed that came out of the wall, Helzaah was distracted by examining the details of the place where she had spent most of her time in the past few weeks.

Although old, with scratched floors and dingy corridors, the ship still reflected much of its captain's personality. An artificial flower vase adorned the desk, a steel mirror was affixed to the wardrobe door, and a delicate lamp colored the room with its orange light. These little details revealed the feminine touch of Captain Lorena, sprinkled here and there throughout the ship in an attempt to make it more welcoming. The gentle personal perfume used by the young captain could also be sensed throughout the ship.

Even the dark pipes and exposed interconnecting cables between the ship's systems on the ceiling couldn't hide the grace of those decorative details.

Two small droids were tasked with keeping all the compartments of the Outsider clean, although it still didn't appear clean. Lorena had promised herself that if she ever managed to gather enough money to buy that ship, she would do a complete renovation, replacing all the dingy paneling. But that seemed impossible, considering that Ghorok's commissions on their journeys were extortionate, leaving her just enough to survive.

Distracted, Helzaah barely noticed when Lorena entered the cabin, freshly out of a shower. The small recyclable water shower fell far short of ideal but served to keep them clean. Lorena smiled at Helzaah, sat on the bed next to her, near the wardrobe, and began sewing a tear in her jacket sleeve.

Lorena had grown accustomed to long journeys and the lengthy waits for contacts in the depths of space. She always sought some task to occupy herself, even if simple. It helped her pass the time. However, she felt sorry for the boredom that the girl was experiencing. This was their third trip working for the rebels, and Lorena had shown her everything she considered interesting for a ten-year-old to see, even some less interesting things. From the upper level to the cargo hold, Helzaah had been in every part of the ship and had asked her everything she could. She had learned various routine procedures of the vessel, becoming capable of assisting the captain in various daily tasks. However, after so much time traveling through space inside a freighter, even experienced adults ended up having their moments of desolation.

Initially, the journey was not supposed to have been this long. Events following their departure forced the captain to adopt certain security measures. After stops in different systems to throw off potential pursuers, they had to remain patient and wait for new coordinates. According to Faitt, the rebels, the cargo's intended recipients, had been forced to change the delivery location as they were still preparing to safely receive visitors at their new hideout.

So, the two of them were waiting for contact from Faitt, which could happen at any moment. Whether through a coded transmission or in person, he would communicate with them. However, after weeks of waiting, the situation had become quite tedious.

A sudden "beep" on the intercom by the wall interrupted the silence in the cabin and startled both of them, who immediately rushed toward the cockpit. When they arrived, they were met with R3 whistling in an alarmed manner, faced with the sight of three spacecraft approaching the freighter. The ships were in a delta formation, with a heavily armed custom Corellian corvette blockade runner at the closest vertex.