Star Wars: Jedi's Will of Justice

Chapter 14: Conflicting Vectors Made by the Force - Part 3

I do not own any of the Star Wars and DC characters and ideas represented in this work.

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Commander Karag, Captain of the Sharpclaw, was enjoying himself in his free time in his private quarters when his comlink activated, he groaned in annoyance. Picking up the comlink, he brought it up to his face and clicked it in, "What is it?" He didn't bother to hide the contempt in his voice.

"Sir, we have a problem onboard the bridge, I'm requesting your presence," Lieutenant Commander Vos, the Sharpclaw second-in-command, replied through electronic static.

Karag gritted his sharp teeth, "You are capable of dealing with problems by yourself," he said, "You don't need to inform me about every decision you make while you take charge of the bridge, Vos."

A brief pause elapsed before Vos responded, "Yes, Captain," a sense of controlled urgency entered in Vos's voice that was transmitted through the communicator, "But there's been a problem with Lieutenant Ishtak's shore leave from Galtos, and I believe it was necessary to contact you, sir."

Karag grumbled out, "Of course it's Ishtak."

Lieutenant Ishtak always took the opportunity to take shore leave when the Sharpclaw entered a spaceport. Ishtak would waste his pay on booze, gambling, and mammalian harlots without fail, all of which Karag didn't care as long as it didn't interfere with the Sharpclaw's schedule. Now it seems like Ishtak has been causing trouble lately.

Exiting out of his quarters, Karag went to the Sharpclaw's octangular-like corridors and walked his path towards the bridge. On the way there, sailors and low-ranking officers gave Karag their proper courtesies and saluted the passing Captain. Karag on the other hand, gave a half-attempt of a return salute for each one he got.

When entering the bridge, a charm was sent out to alert the bridge's crew of the Captain's entrance and they stood at attention. Karag gave a wave of dismissal and the crew went back to their duties. Since the bridge was divided into three declining layers, with the Captain's seat and on the middle layer, right next to the helms and tactical center, Karag went to his seat. On his seat was Vos, who got out of the seat, went to attention, saluted Karag and gave the bridge's control back to the Captain. Karag rolled his eyes and actually gave a proper salute in return.

"Come to the point, Vos," Karag demanded, wanting to return back to his quarters. Then his reptilian eyes picked up something he forgot to notice when he entered the bridge. They weren't in Hyperspace. Instead of the blue glow that should've filled the bridge's large observation window, it was the pitch blackness of space. And from the looks of the constellations and the blue gas giant that wasn't too far, they were still at Galtos. They should have been out-system an hour ago. That'll put Sharpclaw's schedule behind, the special cargo in the detention center will spoil more for the time wasted.

Then Karag got a feeling that Ishtak may have something to do with this. Karag's lips curled to show his teeth and looked at Vos, "Why are we not in hyperspace?"

Vos explained, "Well, sir, that was the reason why I called you here, we lost contact with Lieutenant Ishtak and his men approximately an hour ago. Just minutes before I called you here, their shuttle entered our sensor range but they haven't picked up our hail."

Karag squinted his eyes, "Show me."

"Yes, sir," and Vos led Karag to the communications station that was on the top layer, right of the bridge's door.

Vos showed Karag the comm station with the main comm officer seated, performing his duties. There, he saw a screen displaying the same shuttle Ishtak took out with his men. To Karag, it looked like there were no problems, all the specifications, all amounts of information seemed accurate.

"What am I supposed to see, Vos?

"That is what I'll be getting to, sir," Vos then pressed over to a button next to the comm officer that switched the screen to a security code, and it showed that it was outdated. "Before we made our hail sir," Vos said, "They sent an outdated security to request landing."

Karag looked over to the screen and back to Vos, it was no doubt that Ishtak got drunk and failed to provide a proper security code for boarding. He will swear to Karna himself, if Karag gets the fleet commander on his back for being late because of Ishtak, the Lieutenant will have his scales peeled off.

The Captain takes the comm link that was connected to the communications station out of anger, pulling up to his face, he signaled the comm officer to make a connection to hail the shuttle. The comm officer pushed several buttons then gestured to the Captain that he was connected.

"This is Commander Karag, Captain of the Sharpclaw, I demand you identify yourself," he let go of the comlinks button and let the other person talk through, there was only static.

Karag repeated his message with a hint of annoyance, "This is Commander Karag, I demand you identify yourself or we will shoot you down!"

The buzzing static in the comlink's speaker only replied, Karag hissed, "Lieutenant Ishtak!" Karag went straight to the point, thinking that Ishtak, that Bruct boy, and their men all got drunk and were trying to reply to him without sounding intoxicated. "Ishtak! You better reply to me or we're going to jump into Hyperspace with or without you. Do YOU understand?!"

Nothing came, "ISHTAK!" Karag both of his hands onto the comlink, he yelled loud enough that some of the bridge crew stopped at what they're doing and looked over to the Captain. Karag himself looked like he was going to pop an artery and his green skin on his face was becoming a darker shade of green. "Ishtak, you better respond or-"

Karag was about to finished his beratement on Ishtak before a very friendly voice that Karag didn't recognize replied through the comlink, "There is no trouble here, Captain."

Karag blinked a couple of times, of course there were no problems! Why would the Captain get worked up if there were no problems whatsoever? He's sure that Ishtak or whoever spoke on the other side of the comlink has everything under control onboard the shuttle and had a reasonable excuse on why they were tardy.

Karag looked over to Vos, "There's no trouble here." Vos gave Karag a confusing stare, then stared at the comm officer who in turn gave a shrug that suggested he had no idea what's going on.

"You will let us board with no problems," the very reasonable and polite voice said from the comlink. Honestly, who needs security codes or identification procedures? All of it was just a formality, something for the stuffy bureaucrats of the Empire would enforce so it would give themselves purpose with logs and paperwork.

Karag nodded in agreement, "We will let you board with no problems," Vos yellow eyes went wide.

"Sir, I don't think that's a good idea," Vos advised, "It's not proper Imperial protocol to-,"

"I'm the Captain here!" Karag snapped, "And by Imperial rule, I have the authority to say that they are cleared, Vos!"

Vos kept looking defiant but went to attention, "Yes, sir."

Karag puts back then comlink into the comm station and points at Vos, "Starting the docking process for them, immediately afterwards that they are done, prep the Sharpclaw for hyperspace."

Vos declined his head in obedience, "Yes, sir."

"Anything else?"

Vos looked like he wanted to say something but didn't, "Nothing to add, sir."

"Good," Karag said in a satisfying way, "Now if there are no problems, I'll be in my quarters."

"Yes, sir."

Karag put his hands behind his back while leaving the bridge, the comm officer started to talk with the shuttle about docking procedures. Hopefully, Karag will finally be left alone.