nWo Squadron: The Beginning

 

By David Nizamoff

 

Chapter 1

 

The cityscape flew by in the distance as David raced home from his repair shop.  Business had been pretty slow today, but that was okay with him, since it gave him more time to work on his speederbike.  He had been working on improving it and making it faster ever since he first got it many years ago.  His bike, similar to the bikes used by Imperial forces, was one of the fastest on the planet.  He could travel from his shop in Corellia's capital city of Coronet, 200 kilometers down the coast, to the apartment he shared with his cousin in only twenty minutes.  He loved riding, the wind blowing through his light brown hair, catching the sparkle of the ocean and the sun as it set on the horizon.  Life is good, he thought.

He looked at his chrono, it was nearly nineteen hundred.  He had stayed at the shop late today.  Hopefully Gerard would have dinner ready; David hated cooking.  He parked his bike in the garage and went inside.  The place was a mess.  It looked like an Imperial raiding party had ransacked the place.  David un-holstered his blaster and moved towards the bedrooms where he heard movement.  He was less than a meter from the door to Gerard's room when someone burst out of the room and knocked him flat on his back.  Staring at the ceiling, Gerard's face came into view.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine for just getting run over by a Hutt."

"Sorry man, but we have got to get out of here.  Corsec is going be here any minute."

"Why, what's wrong?  What do they want with us?"

"You remember the other night when that senator dude's speeder went berserk and crashed?  Well, turns out we worked on it a few days earlier, and they think we sabotaged it.  We've got to get out of here now."

"What?  How did they finger us?"

"They found a remote device in the wreckage, a device you designed and came from our stock.  I checked.  One is missing from the inventory.  We're screwed.  Now lets go before we are sent off to Kessel."

"What's your plan?  Where are we going?"

"Don't know yet, but this will be the first place they check.  Grab what you can and get to the Dusk Ryder. We leave ASAP."

"What about the droids?" David asked.  David's R2 astromech droid, Gadget, and Gerard's R9-G9 astromech, Rhine, were more than just droids to them.  They had owned them since they were young kids, and were, besides each other, their best friends.

"They're already on their way to the ship." Gerard replied.

"Good."  David ran to his room to grab his things.  He grabbed his backpack and started throwing stuff in it:  a wad of credit chips he kept for emergency, a 200 year old bottle of Corellian Whiskey given to him as a birthday gift, and some clothes.  He thought a minute, I'm forgetting something.  Then as it came to him, he jumped over the bed to the nightstand and threw it off to the side, grabbed the wooden box that lay beneath, and threw it in the bag as he ran for the door.

When he got to their ship, the Dusk Ryder, parked in the hanger next to the apartment, Gerard had already thrown his own speeder bike into the cargo hold.  David grabbed his bike and pushed it up the ramp and parked it next to the other.  Running to the cockpit he passed the droids, who where already settled into their computer terminal alcoves.  Falling down into the pilots seat next to Gerard, he grabbed the controls.  Skipping the preflight, he kicked in the repulsor coils and punched the sublight engines.

"We'll never make it off planet,” David said. “Half the planet will recognize the Ryder and the patrol ships will cut us off before we can make it out of system and to light speed.”  The Dusk Ryder was a top of the line YT-2400 freighter.  The YT-2400 was similar in size and design to the classic YT-1300 freighter, with the starboard mounted cockpit and a saucer shaped body minus the front mandibles.  David and Gerard had put a lot of work into her and raced her in several stock freighter tournaments.

 "We've got to try, unless you have any other ideas."

"I just might.  Open a secure transmission to Kirney."

Kirney Slane, a neighbor of theirs who had become a good friend since they first met a few months previous, was a mysterious woman.  She showed up a few months ago in a Sentinel-Class landing craft, not a typical ship easily picked up on the open market.  Sentinel-Class landing craft, similar in design to the Lambada-Class shuttle, but slightly larger, were primarily used by the Empire for shuttling and transporting troops along with light equipment such as speeder bikes.  Kirney had been looking to open a shipping and transport business in which David and Gerard helped her get things up and running.  Typically, in the evenings they would all hang out and chew the fat at the local tapcafe.  Although she never said anything to raise much suspicion, David was sure there was something she was hiding.  The last few weeks had been busy though, and they had not seen much of her.

"I hope she's home."  Gerard said.

Then Kirney's image popped up on the screen.

"David!  Gerard!  What in the Force is going on?  You're all over the evening holo!"

"I know,” David replied.  ”It’s a long story, and we don’t have time to explain, but we didn't do it.  We need your help getting off planet.  Can you help us?"

There was a short pause from Kirney.  "Sure.  Meet me at the landing strip.  I can be there and ready to go in about twenty minutes."

"Right, see you there," David said.

The image faded and Gerard turned to David, "I hope this works," he said.

"Me too."

 

When they arrived at the landing strip Kirney's ship was docked at, she was already there getting the ship prepped for launch. The landing field out of which Kirney based her business was out in the middle of nowhere. Usually that was not good for business, but it was pretty convenient considering the present situation, David thought.  David brought the ship down on repulsors and then eased it into an empty hanger bay next to the landing field.

They did a quick shutdown, grabbed their bags, jumped down the ramp and ran for Kirney's ship, which was parked 200 meters away.

Kirney greeted them at the foot of the ramp as the droids struggled to catch up.  "We are ready to liftoff as soon as you're ready to go."

"We're ready." they replied in unison.

"Well, as soon as the droids get here," Gerard added.

 

Kirney headed up the ramp into the ship.  The droids were aboard about a minute later.  "I'm not sure you're going to fit in the smuggling compartment.  It will be a tight squeeze," she said.  She did not use the compartment often, but it did come in handy now and again.

"Well, we don't have a choice.  The droids can stay in the cargo hold and we’ll just have to squeeze in there.  Hop in, G."  David said, and then he followed him down into the floor compartment. 

Kirney looked down at the two of them squished tight in a space that was way too small for the two of them.

"Cozy?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, this is wonderful." David said.  "Get your knee out of my back."

"Where do you want me to put it?  I can't move at all." Gerard replied.

"I don't know, but you're killing me here." David said as he elbowed Gerard for more room.

"Ow!  Watch it!"  Gerard exclaimed in pain as he pushed back.

"Hutt-slime!  That hurts!" David cried out as Gerard's knee dug into his spine.

"Now, you boys play nice.  It’s going to be a long trip at this rate."  Kirney ordered.  "Have a nice trip," she smiled at them and dropped the floorplate into place.

Kirney headed up front to the cockpit and strapped in.  "Ready to go Tonin?" she asked her astromech at his station in the cockpit.  He replied with a confident sounding chirp.  "Good."

She hoped this would work.  She had lost too many friends in the past and did not want to lose two more.  She thought back to a few months earlier when she had been forced to abandon her friends and squadmates in Wraith Squadron.  She would most likely never see any of them ever again because of what she had done.  If the New Republic ever found her she would have to face the consequences of actions that lead to the destruction of Talon Squadron.  She had done her best to help New Republic forces track and destroy the Iron Fist, but she knew it would never be enough to make amends for what she had done as an Imperial spy.  Myn.  Would he ever forgive her?  After her supposed death, the death of her alter-ego Lara Notsil, she had sent him a last message telling him that she was okay and would be here starting a new life.  But she had not heard a thing from him yet.  Now she had a job to do though; she had to help her new friends escape.

          Kirney hit the comm switch.  "Control, this is shuttle Ketch requesting clearance to leave system."

          "Ketch, this is Control.  This sector of the planet is currently under security alert.  Please state your destination and cargo," the voice coming from the comm unit replied.

          "Repair equipment and spare parts for the New Republic star cruiser Mon Remonda." She answered.

          "It says here you are not scheduled to leave until tomorrow morning," the Control operator stated.

          She tensed.  "Yes, but I just received a request asking to bump up my departure time.  They must be running low on supplies on the front lines," she said, hoping they would go along with that story.  She left her new partner to the task of delivering the actual cargo while she made this run.

          There was a moment of silence, then the voice came back, "Okay, you have your clearance, but you will have to run your ship through a scan first.  Follow the given flight path and once you pass the scan you may depart."

          "Acknowledged Control," she said with a feeling of relief. She kicked in the repulsors and set off on the given course.  No doubt security was scanning all outbound ships for David and Gerard.

 

          Gerard sat crammed in the dark of the smuggling compartment.  This is fun, he thought.  "Move over Dave."

          "Where would you like me to go?" David replied.

          "I don't know, but my legs are falling asleep here."

          "Don't worry, we will be able to get out of here once we make the jump to light speed.  It shouldn't take too long before we clear the planet’s gravity well." David commented.

          "I hope not.  Oops!" Gerard said half laughing.

          "Wha-?  Oh man!  You nasty son-of-a-Hutt!  What did you eat for lunch?"

          "Bantha beans." Gerard said still laughing.

          "This is going to be a really long trip." David sighed.

 

          Kirney held the shuttle steady as they neared the ship running the scan of her ship.  If this did not work, she was going to have to make a quick exit.  Getting caught helping fugitives escape would make her an accomplice and then they would all be screwed.  This is taking awful long, she thought.  If they registered the void compartment, they would want to board and do a physical search.

          "Scanning team to Ketch, you are clear to leave the system.  Follow your present course outbound."

          "Acknowledged."  She replied.  Thank the Force, she thought.  She fed full power to the sub-light engines headed for the jump point.

 

          David could hardly breathe anymore.  It's way too crammed and hot in here, he thought.  Lack of fresh oxygen was starting to make him tired.  "Yo G, you still conscious?" he asked.

          "Barely," Gerard moaned.  "How long have we been in here?"

          "About an hour is my guess.  They must be scanning all outgoing ships.  We could be in here for quite a while," was David’s unenthusiastic reply.

          "Wonderful," Gerard sighed.

          Then they heard the engines power up and felt the ship accelerate before the inertial dampers could compensate as they made the jump to light speed.  David felt a wave of relief knowing they could now get out as soon as Kirney came back to open the hatch.

          Approximately thirty seconds later the floor plate lifted open and a rush of fresh air blew over them.

          "You two al--Whoa!" Kirney exclaimed as she lifted the floor plate.

          "Well it’s about time!" Gerard stated.

          "Thank the Force!  He's killin' me in here," David gasped.

          "Aw man, what is that smell?"  Kirney asked wrinkling her nose.  "You boys look and smell worse than a Hutt's pet Rancor."

          The stench was pretty bad, David noticed as she gave him a hand climbing out of the compartment.  Between Gerard's bodily gasses and the two of them sweating in there for over an hour the aroma was pretty horrid.  "I don't really feel that hot right now either." He said to her as he gave Gerard a hand out.

          "Well, don't worry, we're safe now that we've made the jump to light speed.  I plotted our first jump to take us to Commenor, and we can set a final course from there.  Where do you two want to be dropped off?" she asked.

          "Eh, I don't know, haven't thought that far ahead yet," David said.

          "What in the Force were you doing in there for an hour then?" Kirney asked.  "You two weren't arguing the whole time, were you?"

          They both just gave her an innocent shrug and smiled.

          "I don’t know how I ever ended up with you two characters." She said.

          "Aw c'mon, you know you love us." Gerard teased.

          "Yeah, what are you going to do without us?" David asked.

          "I am sure I will find plenty of things." She said as she headed up for the cockpit and they followed.  "Hey Tonin, why don't you go keep Gadget and Rhine company."  What would she do?

 

          From Commenor they jumped to Derra IV, in the Kanchen Sector. Commenor made a good first jump because it, like Corellia, was a neutral system that intersected hundreds of different trade routes.  But they could not stay there; it was too close to Corellia, and CorSec would be hot on their tail soon.  If they kept moving, chances were CorSec would lose their trail there and give up soon after.

          On Derra IV nobody would care what they had been accused of back on Corellia.  Unless of course, a nice bounty appears on our heads, David thought.  And there were plenty of hunters in this sector.  Nal Hutta, the Hutt home world, was also in the Kanchen Sector, and that was the focal point of crime in the galaxy.  It should be easy to get away from the authorities here, if we don't get killed first, he thought.

          Kirney set the shuttle down at their assigned landing.  Derra IV was like most of its neighboring worlds; cityscape covered the horizons for miles on end.  The smog of city kept the sky a constant gray, the result of speeders and other ships covering the skies over the past hundreds of years.

          "Not quite like home," Gerard commented as he peaked out the view port.

          "Nope, not at all," David replied.  For a densely populated world, Corellia stayed fairly clean environmentally, and free socially from the scum of the galaxy.  Corsec was good at that.  Which is exactly the reason why we had to leave.  "Well, where do we start?"

          "Right here." Kirney said as she handed them each a data pad and identicard.

          "What’s this?" David asked taking the items and looking them over.

          "Your new identities, for now at least.  I made them for you during the trip here."

          "You weren't always in the shipping business, were you?" Gerard asked.

          "Luckily for you, no.  But we do not have time for that now," she smiled and headed to the cargo hold.  "I do have a business to run."

          The guys followed her to the back.  “Ready to go?” she asked.

          "Ready as can be," Gerard replied.

          "Thanks for everything Kirney, we owe you big time," David thanked her.

          "Yeah, you do," Kirney said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.  "Don't worry about it though, you two just try to stay out of more trouble.  I will see what I can do to clear you two of those false charges."

          "No, really, you have done enough already.  I don't want you getting any more involved in this," David said.

          "You really think I am just going to sit around and let those false records stand?" she asked.

          "No, not really," Gerard smiled.  "One thing you can do is change the markings on the Ryder so the authorities do not find her.  You’re free to use her all you want."

          "Not a problem."  She gave them each a big hug and then they all descended the ramp.  "Anything else?"

          “Actually yes,” David said.  “Could you deliver these messages to our families?” he asked handing her a datacard.

          “Consider it done.”  She said slipping the cards into her pocket.  “Take care you two,” she said, giving them each a peck on the cheek.

"You too," they replied.

"Come on Gadget and Rhine, time to go," Gerard said.

          The guys and the droids headed away from the landing pad as Kirney stood with Tonin at the bottom of the ramp and watched until they entered the main spaceport.  "Lets go home Tonin," she said as she headed back up the ramp.