The biggest problem with special orders is strange conditions. From the simple "do not move the crates around the ship" to the more complex "avoid any Republic patrols". Some missions even meant picking up the goods at a certain location with the initial payment, leaving the goods at another location and waiting for the payment to be made to the account. These were very strange missions, and it seems that this one was no exception. The worst part was that the delivery was to Tatooine. A piece of Hutt space in the middle of the Republic where you can find everything from common pirates and slave traders to representative "offices" of galactic syndicates.

The strangest and most problematic thing was the place where the crates of goods were to be picked up. Cantonica. Why hire a small company whose headquarters were several thousand parsecs away when you had the headquarters of many, if not all, of the galaxy's trading conglomerates right next door? Still, the rule of gray business is simple: the less you know, the longer you sleep.

Adding to the problem was an extra condition of the contract: Kash had to accompany the goods to Tatooine. This means that I, as the only organic, will also have to accompany the goods. Gray goods that had to be transported quickly by a small company on the hyperhighways of the outer region. I can't even imagine what it could be.

However, I was preparing for such a trip. I was in my shipyard section in [Empire Shipyard]. The shipyard itself is a huge space filled with rarefied air, full of robot assemblers and other autonomous mechanisms. What I was standing on was a huge forward-facing room that added a lot of space to the ship for the assembly of space and ground vehicles. In general, this is the extra 500 meters of the ship that appeared in the expanded state. I was separated from the vacuum by less than a meter of duralumin beneath my feet.

The last ship in my party, which will help me transport 200 medium-sized crates, was just getting its finishing touches. In the past, I had bought a cargo ship on Mon Kalamari and then reverse-engineered it. I was not a professional shipbuilder, so most of my designs are slightly modified copies of existing ships in the galaxy. Adding more weapons, a better reactor, or replacing a shield generator is easy enough, but changing the ship's frame or moving critical elements is beyond my expertise. Perhaps one day I'll be able to hire a professional shipbuilder.

This is an urgent order. What could possibly be going on in the next few weeks that I am in such a hurry to have it delivered in secret through the outer ring? Looks like I have to prepare for an interesting trip.

***

The good news was that the Kash was ready almost immediately. When I visited Lothal again, I was greeted not by an elegant informant for the wealthiest of the Outer Circle, but by a full-fledged mercenary. Dark trousers of thick cloth and a dark blue jacket. A holster with a simple blaster was slung around my shoulder.

I was also dressed in local clothing. I wore black technician pants and a gray sleeveless jacket.

Of course, I prefer homeworld clothing, but this time I was expecting contact with pirates, mercenaries, and Kash. That means a high probability of getting shot with a blaster, and unfortunately my clothes are not designed for such negative reactions. Maybe I'll order some combat gear when I get back to the Empire.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Tick tock, time's running out, let's go," Kash said, jumping onto the [Sunfire] as if she owned the ship without waiting for me, "By the way, where's my room?

I turned around, exhaled, and followed the expressive Twi'lek.

"What if there was no room for another organic on the ship?"

"Well, I guess you'd be sharing your quarters with me," she suddenly turned to me, "You know, you might be one of the few people I can trust in this part of space."

She continued walking, this time more slowly as the ship began to move.

"And I am even more certain that you will not sell me into slavery."

"What makes you think that?" I smiled.

"You don't like slavery," she thought a little more and added, "Well, I don't think I've seen you fulfill any such contracts in the last 5 years."

"I tend to think slavery is inefficient."

"Really?" she looked at me again with a raised eyebrow, "Should I be afraid?"

"Perhaps only if you meet other members of my species."

We reached the small recreation room where we would spend most of our time. It was a small room with two couches on one side and a small workshop on the other. For now, there were only a few boxes of droid parts nearby.

"Wow! I didn't know you were so into droids." Kash walked over and grabbed a droid leg peeking out of a crate, "Your parts are pretty unique for mass-produced parts."

"Custom made for special droids."

"Oh? What kind of droid needs such a limb?"

"A security robot."

"That doesn't look much like a Trade Federation B1 leg."

"Because I don't buy junk, I only use quality machines," I took the leg away and put it back on the workshop table, "As I understand it, we're going to Cantonica and deliver the goods from there. Any change of plans?"

"No, although I doubt this ship will hold all 200 crates."

"There are two more ships waiting in orbit."

"In that case, I have no complaints. So what are you going to do during the voyage?"

"Well..."

***

POV KASH

Kash sat in the cabin Alexander had on his ship and rested with her eyes closed. She doubted that this alien would try to capture her and sell her into slavery before the mission was over.

Alexander was one of the strangest mercenaries she had ever worked with.

He was a tall humanoid with long ears. When she searched for information about him, she found very little. There was nothing about him or his species in the Republic databases. She remembers 6 years ago. She found information about an incredible technician on Lothal. One thing led to another, and she was able to contact him for a possible gray job.

He was a good technician, and she hired him several times for locals who wanted to upgrade their ships. That ended very quickly when he started getting these contacts on his own.

A little later she found out about his trading company on Lothal. He was one of those crazy people who almost never refused to deliver gray goods. The most interesting thing was that he avoided transporting slaves. Well, I hope this will be the last such job for me and I will finally be able to stop meeting with slave traders and smugglers.