Jedi Artisan 004

After playing with the kids at the orphanage, Zane and Shaak Ti found themselves at the Central Coruscant Space Port. It was a bustling hub with thousands of terminals, hangars, and over a hundred thousand workers. People were loading luggage, going through security, having their faces scanned, etc. Passenger starships or merchant vessels were landing every second. People escaping their low population worlds coming to seek work trudged through endless lines, and a never ending stream of raw materials, food, and water were fed into the beast that was Coruscant. 

The level of activity going on was to such a scale, it seemed like a logistical nightmare. Importing so much food and energy to supply trillions of life forms was mind-boggling in scale. And to think, this was but one of dozens of such space ports. In Star Wars, it was easy to trivialize an entire planet to a city. It was like when people said “children are starving in Africa” thinking of Africa like it was a country, and not the massive continent that it was. Although the films, and games focused on the Senatorial District, Jedi Temple, and a slice of the lower levels, that was only a taste of the durasteel jungle that was Coruscant. 

Looking down upon it all from an ascending elevator's glass window, Zane could only marvel at the insane bastards who made it all work. He'd like to imagine some poor droid had probably made a program millenia ago to figure it all out, and now that spaghetti code was holding up the entire system. The slicers of today probably tried to improve the system at one point, took a look at that ancient code, and decided not to touch it. Because although the logistical delivery of people/goods worked, it was incredibly chaotic, and no more efficient than air travel back on Earth. 

Once their elevator reached its destination, they stepped out into a hangar, and saw a group of Humans & aliens in bright orange work uniforms running last minute checks on the ship. 

Taking a look at the big ship, Zane's inner child was screaming at him. Now this was the kind of thing he'd like to build as a lego set. Brimming with lasers, it was a starship that any boy would dream of owning. 

“Have you seen enough? It's just a ship.” Shaak Ti rolled her eyes, and motioned for them to board. 

“Just a ship?!” Zane exclaimed, and then pulled her back to point at it. “This, my Little Ti, is a vintage Hammerhead-class cruiser. The workhorse of the Republic during the Sith Wars, she's equipped with four ion engines, a Class 2 hyperdrive, medium & light turbolasers, tractor beams, starfighters, shuttlecraft, and a crew of 300! Put some respect on her name.” Zane uncharacteristically got worked up, and began to gesticulate wildly with his hands as he talked the Hammerhead up. 

He practically wanted to say something like ‘starships are a man's romance!’ but he had some self awareness. 

“It sounds like an antiquated hunk of junk. The fleet of Consular-class light cruisers that the Order maintains have been upgraded to Class 1 hyperdrives. Now how long will our journey to Mimban take exactly? Nine, ten days?” Shaak Ti crossed her arms, and critically tore apart his dream. 

“Twelve days.” Zane muttered. 

Shaak Ti merely raised an eyebrow, as if her point had been vindicated. 

“Okay, okay, you've got me. But we'll see who was right when pirates come crawling out of the woodworks, or some company man too big for his britches thinks he can muscle us around.” Zane held up his hands, and defended himself. 

“Hmph, I very much doubt that.” Shaak Ti shook her head, and primly escaped his grasp, then resumed her walk towards the boarding ramp. 

“Oi!” Zane said, and ran to catch up. “You care to make a wager on that?” 

“Gambling goes against the spirit of the Code-”

“Sounds like some tough talk from someone who was oh-so confident a second ago.” He interrupted her, and taunted. 

“I don't know. It doesn't seem right.” She shook her head, but was obviously wavering. 

“Besides, it's just a small bet between friends, I've seen Master Yoda and my master exchange sunflower seeds as recompense before.” Zane leaned in close, and whispered in a sly tone. 

“You're trouble.” She stopped in place, turned around, and roughly poked him in the sternum. 

The Force warned him a fraction of a second ahead of time, but he willingly took the jab with a grin. 

“So you accept?” He pressed. 

“Wipe that dopey grin off your face.” Shaak Ti turned around, and huffed. 

As she moved to hide her expression, Zane saw the corner of her lips rise at his antics. 

“Well then, I suppose the terms are simple. If we find ourselves under attack-or needing to use the ship to scare some pirates off-I win. If it was a waste of time, then naturally, you shall be the victor.” Zane explained the rules of their bet. 

“Then when I win, you will owe me an apology.” Shaak Ti smiled a sickly sweet, dangerous smile that only a woman could use. 

Zane felt himself shiver, and his bold grin slightly wavered, but he was quick to regain the pep in his step. 

“Heh, I think I know what I want~ You, me, in my quarters, and-”

“Nothing perverted!” Shaak Ti practically shouted, startling a pair of nearby security personnel who were keeping watch near the boarding ramp. 

Stopping at the entrance to the ship, Zane raised an eyebrow, and looked at her with an utterly baffled expression. 

“Why my dear Shaak Ti, what would ever give you such an impression? You're practically blushing purple!” Zane teased. She opened her mouth, ready to argue, when he held a finger to her lips, shushing her. Shaak Ti's cheeks puffed, and her eyes gleamed dangerously as she began to grow angry. 

“Uh, uh, control your emotions, remember the Code!” Zane chastised. “But seriously, you are such a naughty girl, thinking about that. All I wanted from you is to clean my quarters. Of course we would be alone, silly! I wouldn't want anyone else to see the mess I live in.” 

Shaak Ti took a deep breath, and swatted his hand away, much to his amusement. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him, and then slowly nodded. 

“You have yourself a bet.” 

“Excellent.” He clapped. “Now, if the charming lady shall board my Hammerhead-” Zane flourished, and bowed, only to look up, and see that his companion was already inside the ship, and the ramp was closing. 

‘Sonnuva-!!!’ Zane thought to himself, and used the Force to enhance his speed. 

Jumping through a gap, he slid his way down the hatch, and rolled onto his feet. 

“Why didn't you say something?” He demanded. 

“I thought you knew everything there was to know about this ship?” Shaak Ti innocently put a finger on her cheek, and looked around the hallway like she was lost. “I figured you saw the counter ticking down when we entered the hangar, and wanted to delay our entrance to the last possible second.” 

Zane felt the corner of his cheek lift at her speech, and his deadpan gaze very clearly conveyed the impression that he was not buying any of her bantha shit. 

The boarding ramp sealed behind them with a muted clang that echoed down the Hammerhead’s main corridor. The pair of guards from earlier lazily stared at them, and didn't utter a word. Several crewmen shot them a glance, before walking away, ‘looking busy.’ He felt like he was some exotic animal being stared at, at the zoo. Furthermore, there was more than curiosity in those gazes. 

Zane didn't have to use the Force to know something was up. Their dissatisfaction tickled at the edge of his senses, and that was without actively reaching out. 

The tension onboard the ship was low, simmering with displeasure. It clung to the ship like recycled air that had been filtered once too often. Resentment, fatigue, all these and more came back to him as he opened himself to the Force. It felt like he had poked a happily sleeping old dog one too many times, and now it was being forced to perform tricks for a visiting family member. Biting the visiting family member was out of the question, but who could blame a dog for being grumpy? 

Beside him, Shaak Ti had come to a halt, her lekku were angled slightly as she too opened her senses. 

“They’re not happy.” She said in a quiet voice. 

“Not a smile amongst them.” Zane noted, and stared down the closest guard who had been zoning out, half asleep next to the boarding ramp. 

“This bodes well for our mission.” Shaak Ti sarcastically sighed. “You know, we haven't left Coruscant, it isn't too late to-” 

“We're not taking that blasted Consular-class light cruiser. Besides, you would win the bet by default at that point.” Zane interrupted her, and pointed out. 

As he spoke, the whirring gears of a droid reached his ear, and he saw a protocol droid trudge into view. Modeled after a male, like C3-PO, he had a green paint job, and looked slightly chipped here & there, but was still serviceable. 

“I beg your forgiveness for this intrusion, Mr. & Mrs. Jedi, but we have no time for marital squabbles. If you would follow me, the Captain would like to see you in her office.” The droid said in a calm, modular voice that was pleasant to the ear. 

“Marital squabbles!” Shaak Ti exclaimed with a heavy burst of air through her nostrils. 

“Easy now, Mrs. Jedi.” Zane waved a hand to calm her down, and then turned to the droid. “We would be happy to follow you, but what is the Captain's name? For that matter, what is your name?” 

“Oh my, where are my manners! I am designated F0-K3, standard issue protocol droid, serving aboard the Hammerhead-class cruiser Coruscant's Bulwark. The Captain is madam Monogan. Now I must insist, Mr. & Mrs. Jedi, the Captain made it explicit that she wished to speak with you two before the jump into hyperspace.” The droid then turned around, and began to lead the way. 

“We're right behind you, Foke.” Zane escaped Shaak Ti's silently mounting fuming by turning to more official matters. 

“Foke. An interesting take on the name F0-K3. You organics are most creative, sir.” Foke replied. 

Zane let the droid keep yapping, meanwhile, he was looking all over the place, drinking in every corner of the ship. This served the dual purpose of geeking out over the interior of a warship, as well as looking for any hiding spots, or optimal escape routes. Although he hoped they were never boarded, it didn't hurt to be cautious. 

The corridor was wide, sturdy, and had plenty of areas where chokepoints could be created. He noticed several spots where automated turrets could drop down, walls could form obstacles, and cover could emerge from the floor. Its durasteel walls bore the polish of age, but all that taxpayer money went somewhere, and the Bulwark hadn't fallen into neglect. 

This ship had been maintained, but the crew seemed somewhat slow, or perhaps a little clumsy in their operations? Crew members stepped aside as they passed. Some looked openly annoyed. Others simply looked tired.

Zane caught fragments of surface thoughts without meaning to: complaints about recalled pensions, interrupted leave, promotions postponed. 

One young officer radiated a different kind of discomfort, he was anxious, and ambitious. Zane decided to make a note of him. The kid-some guy who couldn't be older than 18-looked like he might be capable of something brave, or perhaps very stupid. Possibly both. 

Shaak Ti folded her hands into her sleeves, and had mostly cooled off by now, and had likewise been observing their surroundings. 

“This feels wrong. Their attitude, and overall readiness seems lackluster…they weren’t prepared for field deployment.”

Zane nodded along in agreement, unwilling to say more about this issue until they had spoken with the Captain. 

Before long, they reached the lift that led to the command deck. As it ascended, the sense of unease intensified. When the doors opened, they were led to a side room. 

The Captain’s office was richly decorated, appearing more like the front office of some top tier bank, rather than that of a utilitarian military officer. It also held many personal items, indicating that this post had been occupied for quite some time. 

A star chart flickered along one wall, its glow casting pale light over shelves of datapads and dusty commendation plaques. The course it depicted showed the route to Mimban, as well as the ETA. 

Behind a broad desk sat Captain Monogan.

She was a middle-aged woman with squared shoulders and impeccable posture. Threads of gray had begun to streak through her dark hair, pulled back into a severe knot. Her features were quite pretty, and if she were 20 years younger, Zane could've seen himself falling for her, even now, the mature, sophisticated vibe she gave off was alluring. Monogan's eyes were sharp, tired, and wholly unimpressed by their arrival. 

She did not offer a salute, but merely regarded them with disinterest. 

“So. You’re the reason my ship is leaving orbit.” Monogan said in a flat tone. 

Shaak Ti inclined her head politely. Zane merely stopped, hands clasped behind his back, and regarded her with open curiosity.

“Captain Monogan, you have met my every expectation.” Zane lazily yawned, matching her disinterest. “Thank you-ahh-for meeting-yuah-us on such short notice.” 

Shaak Ti opened her mouth, as if to apologize for his rudeness, but she closed it anyway, as she mulled over the Captain’s self-introduction. 

“I didn’t have a choice. A Judicial Officer commands a significant amount of leeway, but there is little we can do-save for complain to the Senate-when two Jedi demand our services.” Monogan barely kept the bitterness out of her flat voice as she stared at them with dead fish eyes. 

She then gestured sharply to the star chart, where Coruscant’s familiar blue-green sphere hovered at the center. “This cruiser hasn’t left this system in three hundred years. Three centuries. Do you have any idea what kind of assignment that the Bulwark is supposed to be?”

“...” Zane remained silent, waiting for her to explain. 

“A post here is a reward.” Monogan snapped, unhappy with Zane's silence. “A final posting. This ship was meant to be a quiet harbor, somewhere older servicemen could finish their careers without worrying about hyperspace mishaps, live fire, or the chaos of the undercity. A place where Senators’ children could learn which end of a command chair to sit in before smiling for the holocams.”

Her bitterness flared in the Force, sharp and blunt, much to Zane's growing amusement. 

“And now.” She said, anger slowly mounting. “Now I am told to spin up a museum piece and take it to Mimban on some Jedi whim.”

“This mission is important to the Order.” Shaak Ti bristled, and spoke in a severe tone.

Monogan’s gaze cut to her. “I’m sure it is, Knight. Everything is important to the Order for you. But you’re not the one explaining to a seventy-year-old engineer why his retirement just got delayed.”

Shaak Ti slightly cringed, having no retort for that, as such a reply truly cut deep. For the Togruta, her weakness, was that she cared too much. 

Zane didn't like how the Captain was stepping on his girl's toes, and wore a condescending smile on his face. 

“It seems to me like you're scared.” He said, folding his arms within his robe. 

Monogan's eyes widened, as if she couldn't believe someone-much less a Jedi-would utter such disrespectful words to her. 

“This is my ship, Jedi. I can tolerate snot nosed brats, and cranky servicemen who didn't get enough sleep. But disrespecting a Captain in her own quarters is crossing a line too far. You may be in charge of this mission, Jedi, but whilst we are in space, I'm in charge.” Monogan's voice barely increased in volume, but her temper was clearly on display. 

Zane snapped a finger, and looked deep into her eyes, unleashing a hypnotic pulse through the Force. 

“Is that what you really think?” 

A psychic wave pressed upon her, and the curmudgeony, middle aged woman was compelled to speak her inner thoughts. 

Folding her arms, she looked him up and down. 

“Yes I do.” She stated with such certainty, Zane almost stumbled forward, unwilling to believe that his intuition was incorrect. 

‘I felt that she didn't resist it whatsoever…what the hell?’ Zane thought to himself in confusion. 

Monogan studied him for a long moment. Then she exhaled, slow and weary.

“Dismissed.” Monogan drily intoned, and then turned her attention to some report on a dataslate. 

Sharing a glance with Shaak Ti, Zane turned to leave the room. 

Still under the effects of the [Mind Trick], Monogan spoke up before the door could close behind them. Her next words sounded like they were all business: 

“By the way, Knight Zane. Nice ass. I was watching you through the security cams to verify your identities when I spotted those sweet pieces of hard candy. Your Togruta friend was staring at it the entire time, and I must say, she has good taste. Feel free to stop by my quarters at any hour.”

She then pressed a button, sealing the door to the Captain's office. 

Zane's mouth was wide open, and he glanced at Shaak Ti, only to see her blushing like crazy, and asking the protocol droid to escort them to their rooms. 

“Terribly sorry, master Jedis, but due to limited capacity, you'll be sharing quarters. Right this way, please.” Foke rambled on, and then took the lead. 

Shaak Ti was quick to take point this time, and ran ahead. 

Zane clucked his tongue, this was sure to be an exciting twelve days spent locked up together~