Scout piloted her stolen speeder through Coruscant's undercity, dodging flickering holo-ads and weaving between rusted towers. The air reeked of burnt wiring and stale liquor, and every shadow seemed to hide a threat—gang members, thieves, or worse. She tightened her grip on her lightsaber, her stomach churning. This place felt like a trap waiting to spring, nothing like the Temple. She glanced at her wrist terminal, Jaden's coordinates glowing on the screen, and pushed forward, determined to reach him.
A sharp tingle in her mind—her precognition—stopped her as she turned into a narrow street. She eased off the throttle, heart pounding, and spotted six figures blocking the way: four humans, a Trandoshan, and a Rodian, all armed with vibroblades and blasters. Their eyes locked on her, and the lead human, a scarred man with a vibroblade, smirked. "Lost, girl? Stick with us, we'll take care of you." Her precognition flared, warning her they meant to hsrm her, likely to sell her to slavers. She leapt off the speeder, ignited her lightsaber, its blue blade humming, and moved before they could react.
The scarred human lunged, blade aimed at her chest. She sidestepped, slashing her saber across his torso, dropping him instantly. The Trandoshan roared, swinging a spiked club at her head; she ducked, sliced his arm off at the elbow, then spun and cut through a second human's stomach, his scream cut short. The Rodian fired a blaster, and she deflected the bolt back, hitting his thigh, then thrust her saber through his chest. The last two humans charged together with vibroblades, she parried one's strike, kicked the other's knee out, and finished them with quick slashes to their necks. She stood over the bodies, chest heaving, then clipped her saber to her belt and moved on, her hands shaking but her focus intact.
She reached the coordinates, a dilapidated building in a grimy alley, but her precognition buzzed again, sharp and insistent. Plasma bolts erupted from a hidden turret in the wall, streaking toward her. She ignited her lightsaber, deflecting the shots with wuick flourishes, sparks flying as she sprinted forward. She vaulted over the turret, slicing its barrel off with a single stroke, silencing it. "Jaden, why pick this dump?" she muttered, brushing soot from her robes. "Couldn't we meet somewhere less likely to kill me?"
She approached a rusted door, checked her terminal to confirm the location, and ignited her saber to cut through the lock, the metal glowing red before giving way. She stepped inside, finding an abandoned room filled with dusty crates, broken machinery, and a single terminal in the center, beeping as its screen cycled through complex algorithms. She gripped her saber tighter, frowning. "What is this place?" she said, her voice echoing in the empty space. Doubt crept in—had she been tricked? She raised her blade, scanning the shadows, ready for an ambush.
A voice came from behind. "Hope you're not planning to carve me up with that."
She spun, her face lighting up as she saw Jaden leaning against a crate, his familiar grin cutting through her tension. She switched off her saber, clipped it to her belt, and ran to him, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. "Jaden! You have no idea how good it is to see you!" She squeezed him, then stepped back, looking up at him with a mix of relief and worry. "The Temple's been a nightmare—boring, strict, everyone tiptoeing around me like I'm gonna break. I've hated it since we got back from Jabiim. Are you okay? What's going on? Why do you need me?"
Jaden patted her head, chuckling. "I'm fine, Scout, I promise. I'll fill you in on everything, but we need to get out of here before the others catch up."
She tilted her head, frowning. "Others? What others?"
"The ones tracking you," he said.
She crossed her arms, bristling. "No way. I wasn't followed. I'm not an idiot. I ditched the speeder I stole and tossed its tracker into a pit. Nobody's on my tail."
He raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "You sure about that? What about the tracker in your lightsaber?"
Her confidence faltered, and she swallowed hard. "They wouldn't... would they?"
"They did it to Zule," he said, crossing his arms.
She unclipped her saber, turning it over in her hands, and inspected the hilt closely. Her fingers found a tiny tracker embedded near the emitter. "Son of a—" she muttered, pulling a tool from her belt to pry it out. She crushed it under her boot, grinding it into the floor. A loud explosion rocked the entrance, shaking the walls, and Jaden grabbed her hand. "Time to move, Scout."
They sprinted through the decoy base, weaving past crates and rusted panels, their boots pounding the duracrete. Jaden led her to a stolen speeder parked in an alley, jumping into the driver's seat as Scout slid in beside him. He hit the throttle, and the speeder roared through the undercity's tangled streets, dodging hovertrucks and weaving past flickering signs. "That was way too close," he said, glancing at her.
She nodded, catching her breath, then smacked his arm. "Yeah, and where the hell have you been? We've been losing our minds worrying about you! Aubrie's been a wreck since you just vanished!"
Jaden kept his eyes on the road, taking a sharp turn to avoid a pile of debris. "It's a long story, and not a fun one."
She leaned back, crossing her arms. "Well, I've got nothing but time. Start talking."
He sighed, his grip tightening on the controls. "Alright, fine. Long story short, after the Temple attack, I barely made it out alive. Had to go underground, hiding in the undercity, moving from one safe spot to another every few days. While here I've been working on a new kind of space travel, something that'll let me disappear into the Unknown Regions for good, where no one can follow."
Scout listened, her expression softening as she watched him. "You've been through a lot, huh? Running, hiding, building some crazy new tech all by yourself. But you're okay now? Like, really okay?"
He gave her a quick smile, navigating another turn. "I'm getting there. Got people I trust. That's why I needed you, you're one of the ones I trust."
She nodded, a small grin creeping onto her face. "Good. 'Cause I was not staying in that Temple another day. So, what's the thing you need help with? You gonna tell me or keep me guessing?"
"Soon," he said, focusing on the road. "Let's get back first."
They pulled into a shadowed alley near the hideout, and Jaden parked the speeder. They climbed out, and he attached a small explosive to the vehicle, triggering it with a remote. The speeder erupted in flames, leaving no trace. They slipped through a hidden door into the main hangar, where Velea and Zule were hunched over the Chiss ship's console, surrounded by scattered tools and datapads.
Scout's face lit up when she saw Zule. "Zule!" She ran over, wrapping her in a tight hug, nearly knocking her off balance.
Zule blinked, returning the hug awkwardly, her hands hovering before settling on Scout's shoulders. "Scout? What are you doing here? How'd you even find us?"
Scout grinned, still clinging to her. "Jaden sent for me. Got tired of the Temple, so here I am!"
Velea walked over to Jaden, pulling him into a quick hug. "So, this is the last crew member?" she asked, nodding toward Scout, who was still attached to Zule.
Jaden nodded, stepping back. "Yeah. Scout's a tech genius, especially when it comes to slicing. She can crack systems faster than anyone I know. This heist doesn't stand a chance without her."
Zule gently pried Scout off, her brow furrowing as she looked at Jaden. "You've been cagey about the plan, Jaden, and we're done waiting. Tell us what's going on. The whole thing, no more half-answers."
Velea crossed her arms, leaning against a crate. "She's got a point. We're all in deep now, and we deserve to know. Lay it out, Jaden."
Scout let go of Zule, planting her hands on her hips. "Yeah, and I just fought through a gang and a turret to get here. What's the job, and why do you need me?"
Jaden ran a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily. "Alright, alright, you win. Everyone, grab a seat. I'll tell you everything." He pointed to a stack of crates nearby, and they gathered around, sitting on the crates or leaning against them, their eyes fixed on him.
"Alright as you know we are we're pulling the biggest heist in the galaxy. The Eternal Horizon, Eislo's luxury ship. So we can grab a kyber crystal for my project and get evidence to bury him. Here's the plan."
He swiped the sphere, and a 3D model of the *Eternal Horizon* appeared, spinning slowly. "This ship's a fortress—droids, biometric locks, the works. It's hosting a multi-day gala, and security's tight, but there are three windows when their engine diagnostics loosen things up: one before liftoff, one mid-week, and one just before the gala ends. We latch our Chiss ship on during the liftoff window and then we have two opportunities to get out. If we wait until the gala's over, they'll run a full sweep—sensors maxed, patrols doubled, systems checked—and they'll know we robbed them."
He flicked the sphere, showing a checkpoint with biometric scanners. "First, me and Zule board without tripping alarms. They scan every worker's retinas and fingerprints. Scout, youll be hacking the system to get Zule and me through."
The hologram showed Scout in a stealth suit, crouching by a terminal, slicing into it. "Scout, you hide near the boarding ramp, plug your slicing kit into the scanner's network, and pull up Taren Vok's and Lira Senn's biometric data from the crew database you hacked earlier. You feed that data to the scanner when we step up, making it think we're them, then log a fake calibration error to cover your tracks." In the holographic scene, Scout hid behind a crate by the ramp, plugging her kit into a panel. She typed fast, pulling up the data, then leaned back, cracking her knuckles like a holofilm hacker. "Got it," she muttered, striking a pose. "Scout, the galaxy's greatest, strikes again!"
Scout bolted upright, waving her arms. "No way! I don't say that! And I'm not posing like that either Jaden what the kriff!"
Jaden laughed, spinning the hologram. "It's a little flair, Scout. Let me keep going."
She slumped back, crossing her arms. "Fine, but cut the cheesy lines. I sound like a bad holo."
He nodded, swiping the sphere. "Scout handles the biometrics, and Zule and I slip in as Taren Vok and Lira Senn with these." He held up a holographic disguise device, a small disc humming faintly. "They make us look and sound like them, but Scout's hack gets us past the scanners. Zule, you act like Lira—work the VIP lounge, make sure to keep your cool. I'm Taren, I'll be blending in the dining hall, serving drinks, we'll both have access to different parts of the ship which is why I chose these workers."
The hologram showed Jaden and Zule, disguised, strolling through the checkpoint, nodding at the droid guard. "Zule, you walk to the scanner, keep your server uniform crisp, smile just enough to pass as Lira, and let Scout's hack do the rest. I follow, playing Taren." In the scene, Jaden, in Taren's waiter uniform, adjusted his tie and gave the droid a thumbs-up. "Here to serve," he said, strutting forward. Zule, in Lira's outfit, walked stiffly, forcing a smile at a guest. The scanner beeped green, and they bumped fists.
Zule stood, hands on hips, face flushed. "I don't smile like that, and I'm not fist-bumping in a heist! That's the dumbest thing I've seen!"
Jaden chuckled, waving her down. "Okay, I get it. Sit, we're moving on."
She sat, muttering, "This is already a mess."
He flicked the sphere. "Next, we need a base. Padmé Amidala's suite, near the VIP lounge, is perfect for gear and planning. I'll talk her into letting us use it. I find her at a gala reception, pull her aside, and explain we're stopping Eislo's crimes."
The hologram showed Jaden, as Taren, sidling up to Padmé. "I wait for a quiet moment, and lean in to tell her I'm not a waiter, that we need her suite to take down Eislo and keep her safe. I keep it short, and get the access code." In the scene, Jaden leaned toward Padmé, tray wobbling. "Senator, I'm not a waiter. We're here to stop Eislo. Can we use your suite?" He flashed a grin, and Padmé nodded, slipping him a code. Jaden juggled the tray like a frisbee, then bowed.
Velea snorted, doubling over. "Smooth-talking Padmé? You'd spill the drinks and trip!" She jumped up, shoved Jaden aside, and grabbed the hologram, spinning it to show Jaden in Taren's uniform, bumbling.
Velea swiped the sphere, grinning. "Here's the real Jaden."
In the scene, hologram-Jaden approached Padmé, tray shaking. "Uh, Senator, I'm, uh, not a waiter, and, um, Eislo's bad, so, like, can we borrow your room?" He tripped, spilling drinks, and Padmé stared, stone-faced. He flailed, dropping the tray, muttering, "I'm usually better at this!" Velea's hologram self appeared in a stealth suit, slipping into the suite. "While Jaden's crashing and burning, I sneak in through the service entrance, drop our gear, and set up the base, because someone's gotta do it right." She posed, smirking.
Scout cackled, clutching her stomach. "That's Jaden! He'd totally fumble it!"
Zule shook her head, hiding a smile. "I can see that."
Jaden crossed his arms, glaring. "Real nice, Velea. That was low. Can I finish without you making me a clown?"
Velea sat, giggling. "Just showing the truth. Keep going hero."
Scout leaned back on the crate. "This briefing's going on forever."
Zule rubbed her temples. "Can we get serious? We're robbing a ship."
Jaden clapped, pulling the hologram back. "Fine, back to it. We set up in Padmé's suite, our hub for the gala. Now, the crystal."
He swiped, showing the crystal in a private gallery, locked in a display case. "The kyber crystal's got biometric locks tied to Eislo's personal data and pressure sensors. Scout, you're in the server room, clearing the way."
The hologram showed Scout sneaking to a server room. "Scout, you slip past droid patrols in your stealth suit, plug your slicing kit into the terminal, and loop the gallery's camera feeds to show an empty room for 15 minutes. Then you trigger a power surge in the dining hall to pull droids away from the VIP area." In the scene, Scout crouched by a terminal, plugging in her kit. "Let's do this," she said, voice smug. She looped the cameras and sent the surge, then propped her feet on the console, smirking.
Scout groaned, covering her face in embarrassmrnt.
Jaden smirked. "You're a pro, Scout. Next up, Zule." He flicked the sphere. "Scout clears the path, and Zule pulls security away."
The hologram showed Zule, as Lira, talking to a guest in the VIP lounge. "Zule, you spot a high-ranking senator in the VIP lounge, lean in, and convince him to take a private tour. He agrees, and security follows, leaving the gallery open. You signal me when it's clear." In the scene, Zule leaned toward a senator, twirling her hair. "Private art tour, just us?" she said, voice syrupy. The senator nodded, security trailed him, and Zule blew a kiss to the air.
Zule stood, face red—or redder. "I'm not twirling my hair or blowing kisses!!"
Jaden held up his hands, laughing. "Okay I'll tone it down. Sit, we're almost there."
She sat, muttering, "This is getting dumber."
He swiped again. "While Zule's clearing the way, I prep the gallery."
The hologram showed Jaden planting an EMP grenade. "I slip into a service corridor near the gallery, tape an EMP grenade to a droid charging station, and set a 10-minute timer to knock out any bots during the theft." In the scene, Jaden moved through a corridor, humming off-key. He taped the grenade, set the timer, and said, "Nap time," snapping his fingers and trying a spin.
"The crystal theft is next." He said, his tone shifting, serious now.
The hologram showed Jaden in the gallery, the crystal in its case. "I move into the gallery with my slicing kit. Scout, you recalibrate the pressure sensors for 30 seconds so I can swap the crystal. Zule, you watch the VIP lounge, signal when patrols pass. I lift the crystal, replace it with Velea's replica, and get out. The lock needs Eislo's biometric data, which Velea grabs." In the scene, Jaden approached the case, kit humming. "Scout, you there?" he said, calm. Scout's voice crackled: "Sensors set. 30 seconds." Jaden opened the case with Velea's stolen data, swapped the crystal, and sealed it, whistling. "Done," he said, pocketing the crystal.
Jaden adjusted the hologram, his expression focused. "Then Velea's up."
He swiped, showing Velea in an office. "Velea, you sneak into Eislo's office near the VIP lounge in your stealth suit, plug your slicing kit into his personal terminal, and download everything—financials, messages, recordings—that ties him to the Temple attack and Padmé's hit. You also grab his biometric data—retina and fingerprint scans—stored on the terminal, which we need for the crystal's lock. Then you plant a virus to delay alerts." In the scene, Velea slipped into the office, suit blending with the walls. She plugged in her kit, downloaded files and biometrics, and said, "Eislo's finished." She planted a virus and left.
Velea nodded, impressed. "That's me. Clean and quick."
Jaden swiped again. "Last part: escape."
He flicked the sphere, showing the crew running to the Chiss ship. "We regroup at Padmé's suite with the crystal and evidence, then bail during the pre-end window, when security's focused on guest departures. Velea and Scout pilot the Chiss ship to the maintenance hatch, pick up Zule and me, and we cloak out to join the yacht. We can't wait until the gala ends—sensors will catch the ship, and they'll know we took the crystal." In the scene, the crew sprinted through corridors, dodging droids. Scout hacked the hatch, they piled into the ship, and Velea hit the controls. "Go!" Jaden shouted, and the ship detached, blending into Coruscant's traffic.
Jaden shut off the hologram, leaning against a crate, his face serious. "I overdid it. Scout hacks biometrics and cameras, Zule distracts guards, I grab the crystal with Velea's biometric data, Velea gets the evidence, and we're out before lockdown. Questions?"
Velea stretched. "You sure you can play Taren without your big head knocking over a guest?"
Jaden shot her a look, though there was a smirk hidden behind it. "Thin ice, Velea."
Zule raised a hand, voice calm. "What if Lira doesn't buy the blackmail? If I cant sway her she might call security."
Jaden nodded. "If she's trouble, you tie her up, keep it quiet."
Scout tapped her foot. "The AI's a problem. If it catches my hacks, we're done. I need time."
Jaden looked at Velea. "You monitor Scout's hacks from the suite, feed her fixes if the AI gets wise. You two can handle it."
Velea nodded. "Done. But if the Chiss ship fails, we're stuck."
Jaden rubbed his chin. "We steal a shuttle from their hangar. Scout, you can hot-wire one?"
She smirked. "Before you can drop another tray."
Zule frowned. "Padmé's a risk. If she says no, we're exposed."
Jaden met her eyes. "I'll make it work. She trusts me and hates Eislo."
Scout leaned forward. "The crystal swap's neat. Velea, you made the fake?"
Velea held up a mock crystal. "Three days. Matches everything."
Zule nodded. "It's a solid plan. I don't like blackmailing Lira, though. It's wrong."
Jaden stepped closer. "We'll avoid it if we can. Lira's no saint—she's played dirty for years. We're stopping Eislo to save people."
Zule exhaled. "Alright... I'm in. Let's do it right."
Jaden clapped. "We've got days to prep gear, disguises, and practice. Let's move."
___________________________
In a dimly lit chamber aboard the Eternal Horizon, Collan Eislo stood watching as his enforcer pummeled Darren, the man kneeling on the blood-slick durasteel floor. Darren's face was a mess—eyes swollen shut, nose shattered, blood pouring from gashed cheeks, pooling beneath him. He gasped, voice ragged, "Collan, please, I can fix it, I'll get him next time!" Collan leaned against a metal table, arms crossed, his tailored suit pristine, his expression blank as the enforcer drove a fist into Darren's jaw, snapping his head back, teeth scattering across the floor like broken dice. The Mandalorian, hired by Collen, stood in the corner, her beskar armor catching the faint light, her body tense, her unease buried behind her visor as she witnessed the torture.
Collan tilted his head, motioning to the enforcer. "Stop. Use the neural whip." The enforcer grabbed a coiled device from the table, its tip sparking with blue energy. He lashed it across Darren's chest, and Darren screamed, his body convulsing as the whip's pulses fried his nerves, skin blistering into black welts, the stench of burnt flesh filling the air. Collan pointed again. "Now the flensing blade. Carve his thighs, deep, but keep him alive." The enforcer pulled a thin, humming vibro-blade, slicing into Darren's legs, cutting through muscle to expose bone, blood gushing as Darren howled, thrashing against the chains binding his wrists, his screams bouncing off the walls. Collan watched, his lips twitching into a faint smile, eyes glinting with a sick thrill as Darren's body shook, his voice reduced to sobs.
Darren choked, blood bubbling from his mouth. "Collan, I'm begging you, stop! I'll do anything!"
Collan sighed, checking his chrono. "This is dull. Finish him."
Darren's head snapped up, desperation surging. "You gutless coward! Can't even kill me yourself, huh? Gotta hide behind your goons?" He spat a glob of blood, voice rising. "You're nothing without them, just a fancy suit!"
Collan laughed, a sharp, icy sound, stepping closer. "My suit? Don't be fooled, Darren. I could slaughter everyone here and not blink." He straightened, his smile widening. "You think I'm weak?"
Darren sneered, blood dripping down his chin. "All talk, Collan. A spineless fraud. Face me, or are you scared I'll make you look small?"
Collan's smile vanished, his eyes narrowing. He gestured to the enforcer. "Cut him loose. Give him a vibro-sword." The enforcer paused, frowning. "Sir, he's still—"
Collan drew a blaster pistol and shot the enforcer through the temple. He turned to the second enforcer, who paled, then rushed to obey, slicing Darren's chains and tossing him a vibro-sword. Darren caught it, hands trembling, blood coating the hilt, his mangled legs barely holding him up.
Collan hung his coat on a hook, dropped his blaster on the table, and pulled a curved knife from a sheath at his waist, its black blade etched with red runes, glinting under the lights. Darren stared at it, gripping the sword, his voice shaking. "What's that?"
Collan twirled the knife, stepping forward. "Ancient Sith blade. Older and more expensive than your worthless existence. Hurry, Darren. I've got a meeting."
Darren roared, lunging with the vibro-sword raised, his stumps of legs wobbling, but before he moved a step, Collan vanished. A breath later Darren screamed, staring at his wrists—his hands were gone, severed clean, blood jetting from the stumps, the sword clattering to the floor. He staggered, gasping, his mind blank with pain, unable to process how Collan moved so fast, the agony drowning his thoughts. He turned and Collan was behind him, wiping the blade on his sleeve.
Darren turned, collapsing to his knees, blood pouring from his wrists, his eyes wild. "How... what..." He tried to crawl, dragging himself across the floor, but his legs gave out, severed at the thighs, tendons and bone exposed, blood flooding the durasteel. He hadn't felt the cuts, hadn't seen Collan move, his brain refusing to register the impossible speed.
Collan walked over, crouching beside him, twirling the knife. "You were always useless, Darren. Should've died in that pit after you botched the job. No one will remember you. Be grateful I'm wasting my time on you." He sheathed the dagger, climbed atop Darren's chest, and wrapped his hands around Darren's throat, fingers crushing the bruised, bloodied flesh, "I always love doing this bit myself," Collan said with a sick smile. Darren gurgled, his stump-arms twitching, eyes bulging as Collan squeezed, a wide, manic smile spreading across his face. Collan's breath quickened, his eyes alight with twisted joy, his body tensing with pleasure, a bulge forming in his pants, as Darren's struggles faded, his choked gasps turning to silence. Darren's eyes rolled back, his body limp, and Collan tightened his grip a moment longer, savoring the final twitch before letting go, exhaling with a shudder of satisfaction.
He stood, wiping his hands on his pants, his face twisting with disgust. "Disgraceful," he muttered, kicking Darren's corpse, the head lolling to the side, blood oozing from the mouth. He turned to the enforcer, who stood frozen, staring at the body. "Clean this mess. Now." The enforcer nodded, dragging Darren's mutilated remains toward a disposal chute, leaving a smeared trail of blood and tissue.
Collan frowned, noticing blood splattered on his shirt and something else on his pants. "Now I need to change. Annoying." He turned to the Mandalorian, who hadn't moved, her visor hiding her reaction. "The gala's in a few days. Are you clear on the plan to take Padmé?"
The Mandalorian nodded, her voice steady despite the gore at her feet. "We board before the guests, pose as staff. Mid-gala, when the ship's in the lithosphere, we move—grab Padmé, keep it quiet, and get her to the extraction point."
Collan stepped closer, eyes boring into her visor. "Good. There's an escape ship in the hangar, untraceable, fast enough to get you clear. Do not fail me, or you'll end up worse than him." He jerked his thumb at Darren's body, now halfway into the chute, the enforcer shoving it with a grunt.
He turned to leave, pausing at the door. "Once you have Padmé, find the holocron. I need it. The others are impatient, and they don't like waiting."
The Mandalorian nodded. "It'll be done."
Collan left, the door hissing shut. The Mandalorian stood alone, staring at Darren's blood streaked across the floor, chunks of flesh stuck in the grooves, the enforcer scrubbing with a mop, the metallic tang thick in the air. She clenched her fists, her mind replaying Collan's casual savagery—the way he smiled, the way he lingered on Darren's death, the knife's impossible speed. She wondered if this was her fate, one misstep away from being carved apart, her body dumped like trash.
(AN: So the Gala is here my boys or it is right around the corner. It's gonna be a long chapter. Like my Viking novel ones, it'll make it easier for me to fit everything into one chapter than to do break it up ruining the flow and shit. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to the next one.)
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