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Old
Friends 2002 short story by Louis Turfrey Thirty-eight years after Episode
IV – A New Hope Jump, boost jetpack, turn in mid air and land lightly. That was the plan anyway.
However, my target took a very accurate shot at me that should have hit me.
It didn’t though; it was blocked by my lightsabre
and deflected back at him in mid-flight. I still landed lightly, but with my lightsabre in my hand. “Give it up
Shriek, there’s no way to escape.” My voice was calm and held command. I
could feel his pain and the confusion so I lowered my voice and tried again. “Accept
your fate Shriek. You want to give yourself up don’t you?” This time there was more clarity in his thoughts.
I could hear him moving out from behind the storage crates. I saw him
clutching his arm and there was a blaster burn there. I was surprised by the
accuracy of my return shot. I flipped open the communications link and sent a
coded message to the local militia that were waiting outside. By the time I
had clasped the binders on him they were coming through the doors. “Captain
Candy. Thoughtful of you to take your
time.” The militiaman scowled and handed me a pad to
record my capture. I added my thumbprint and code and ten thousand credits
were transferred into my account. That made nearly one hundred thousand that
month. More than enough for what I wanted to do. The militiaman had not left
and I looked in his direction. “There’s
someone outside to see you. A Jedi.” Now it was my turn to scowl. I’d come back to the
Galactic Federation to get away from my past. It now seemed that my past was
catching up with me. I nodded and waited for the man to leave before exiting
the building via the hole I had cut earlier in the roof. He was waiting for
me, and I felt the thrust from my jetpack cut off. I landed, a tinge of anger
seeping into my voice. “You’d
better have a good reason for interrupting my work young man.” He didn’t flinch, his face showing complete calm
and although he was young in appearance, I sensed he was roughly thirty years
of age. His blond hair and blue eyes stood in stark contrast to his black
robes. “Forgive
me for the interruption but I must ask that you return with me to the Jedi
Council.” He was calm in the Force, something I always had trouble achieving,
except when my life depended upon it. “I have
no interest in meeting the council. I am not a Jedi. I do not abide by their laws or codes.” He laughed lightly. “That
much is certain. Yet you are a Jedi. You are Tar Ranth,
Jedi Knight.” I scowled under my helmet, vowing to teach this
young upstart a lesson. “What
makes you so sure?” His smile was infuriating me, but I remained calm. “Your
return was…sensed. My masters wish to
know how you achieved this.” I looked at the man, turning fully to face him and
took two strides forward. “Ask the
historians, they know how. Palpatine did much the
same.” At the mention of the Emperor the Jedi frowned and
I saw him drop his hand down to the pommel on the sabre. “Don’t
even think about it. I’m not a dark sider, just a man that wants to be left alone.” I
examined my jetpack mentally and found where he had been pinching the fuel
line with the Force. I pushed against his grip and he looked startled, so I
pushed harder and a definite look of effort appeared on his face. I threw my
palm outward and he was propelled backwards over the edge of the building. By the time he had righted himself and landed
safely, I had flown off. It troubled me that I had drawn the interest of
the Jedi Council, but the reality of the situation was that it didn’t really
matter. Soon I knew I would be able to leave the Galactic Alliance far
behind, and return to where my heart knew my home should be. Somewhere that I
knew I could do some good. The Dark Star IV sat quietly on her pad.
The modified Kuat Systems Patrol Craft was matt
black, my preferred colour, and had been modified so she required constant
servicing. Li’Tur greeted me at the bottom of the
ramp, hydrospanner in hand. “All
repairs have been completed and I have made the necessary adjustments to the
thrusters.” I nodded, thanking him as I removed my helmet and
made my way in to the ship. “Has Pocock completed the special order yet?” He nodded, handing me the recording of the
notification. I checked over the schematics and smiled to myself.
“Good. Inform him that I’m on
my way to make the final payment in person. Set course for the Setnin Sector.” Jomobol Pocock
looked me up and down as if comparing me to the man he knew before, the man
who had worked as a freelance bounty hunter for him, and many others. “It’s
been built to your precise specifications.
The original plans have been destroyed, as requested.” I looked over at the ex-gang lord, now a
legitimate businessman in the most crooked sector in the galaxy and peered
into his mind. “You
lie. The plans are on your desk
computer.” The statement was made without preamble, emotion or accusation. Pocock smiled and turned to his desk. “You’re
right. I must have overlooked it.” I nodded as I watched him erase the file and
overwrite the space.
“Yes. You must have.” The Dark Star V sat quietly in the hanger
space that she had been assigned. I
checked her lines and noted the advanced armour that had been added to the
original design. True to his word, Pocock had made
this ship better than the original, the Dark Star III. The ship that had been destroyed along
with… Me? “Li’Tur, take DSIV back to base. This new craft
requires a shakedown before I follow.” My servant nodded and left without a word. I
pointed the activation key at the airlock and waited for the small ramp to
extend, then changed the encryption on the key and entered the ship. She flew better than the original, if that was at
all possible. Her turning circle was tighter and I found that I could flip
her on her axis without having to change direction of travel. The new “Li’Tur, return to the third moon. I need you to run this
ship through a combat situation.” There was a pause before I received the answer.
“Precisely how real sir?” I smiled, locking down the helmet and activating
the neural circuitry. “As real
as it gets.” I handed Pocock my
well-earned two hundred thousand credits and he smiled as he took the credit
chit. “Always a
pleasure doing business with a Ranth.” He nodded towards my other vessel. “What do you want me to do with your old
ship?” I looked across at the DSIV. Something told
me that I would need her again some day. “Repair
her and power her up. I’m willing to sacrifice cargo space as long as there
is room for three passengers.” Pocock nodded and I handed over another
thirty thousand credits. I motioned
towards at the money in his hands. “That
will cover repairs and storage fees. Make it a private hanger so I can get in
and out easily.” Again he nodded and I moved away, back to my new
ship and my new life. Li’Tur was waiting onboard;
repairing some of the circuitry damage he had received in our encounter. “How goes
it old friend?” He looked up at me and I saw a smile appear on his
features. It was difficult to think of him as a droid at times. “Fine
sir. I have programmed the predefined coordinates that Mister De’Athe left us into the database. All you need do is activate the hyperdrive.” I sighed and sat down next to him. “No, I
meant how goes it with you?” He paused for a moment, seemingly reflective. Then
answered, just as reflectively. “I have
never been damaged in this way before sir, so I cannot comment. All I can say
is that I feel different somehow, as if I have achieved what I was created
for.” I understood more than Li’Tur
knew. The droid had been created to be a friend and mentor to my father, and
had continued that job with both of my incarnations. However, throughout this
time, he had never been damaged – no single person had been strong enough to
do so. “I no
longer need you as a manservant. I’m making an alteration to your
programming. You are free, and as such can use that freedom as you wish.
Adhere to the rules of behaviour that have been pre-programmed into your
system and you’ll be fine. Do you understand?” He nodded and smiled at the same time. “With all
due respect sir, if I can do as I wish then I wish
to remain with you. If you remember sir, you made a similar offer before.” I nodded, suddenly remembering.
“Agreed. But now you must allow
me to recompense you for your services.” He was about to shake his head when I held up my
hand. “I
insist. It will allow you to buy new
clothing and articles, enable you to become more like a human being.” “But sir,
I am not human.” I shook my head and motioned for him to be quiet. This was going to take some time. Old
Friends 2002 short story by Louis Turfrey Thirty-eight years after Episode IV – A New Hope Histories – The
continuing story of Tar
Ranths reintegration into Setnin life. With a new ship, more powerful and swifter
than her predecessor, he is ready to make his mark. But primarily, this story is about Li’Tur, and
the offer made to him for his freedom.
It says much about the droid that his loyalty overrides his sense of
self-determination. Cast of Characters Tar Ranth Li’Tur Jomobol Pocock Shriek Captain Candy |