> Disclaimer: Star Wars and all of it's Intellectual Properties is owned by George Lucas and Walt Disney, This fictional work and all of it's original characters are however mine.

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As the week drew to a close, Jake finalized the data retrieval from the Old Republic relic. The corrupted files had proved tricky, but they'd revealed just enough for him to piece together some remarkable concepts—like handheld energy shields, decoy projectors, and even armed speeder schematics. Although much of the information was fragmented and scrambled, his technical instincts helped him bridge the gaps with his own designs. But the real prize, tucked away in the encrypted sectors, was a reference to a cache hidden in the debris fields of Malachor V.

That night, with the crew gathered around the dim light of the workshop, Jake presented his findings. The tension in the room was palpable as he pulled up the holographic display, showing the fragmented map pointing toward Malachor V. He explained the corrupted files and the designs he'd pieced together but saved the bombshell for last.

"There's a reference to a cache," Jake said, voice low. "It's buried deep in Malachor V's debris field. This could be something serious."

Davik gave a low whistle, while Mira's eyes flickered with intrigue, though she kept her cool. Kado, however, shifted uncomfortably, his gaze moving to each crew member before he spoke.

"Gardulla's going to expect a full report on whatever's inside that relic," he said, voice heavy with caution. "But if we tell her about the cache, we're handing her a treasure map that she'll never let us profit from."

"Exactly," Jake nodded. "So I was thinking… we don't tell her. We'll delete the file on the cache's location from the relic's core data. I'll make sure it's untraceable. Then, we encrypt a copy of the data for ourselves. Later, when things cool off, we'll look into it on our own terms."

Kado raised a hand, stopping Jake in his tracks. "What if instead of simply deleting the information, we put in a different location? Something unimportant, like a ruined outpost on Raxus Prime. If Gardulla's people find it, they'll think they've hit the jackpot, and it'll buy us time."

Mira leaned back with a thoughtful look, nodding. "Smart. We need to play this carefully, or we'll end up with nothing—or worse. Gardulla's no stranger to eliminating loose ends."

Davik crossed his arms, a faint smirk on his face. "So we're in agreement? We replace the cache location with a false one and keep our own copy. We tell Gardulla's people it was too corrupted to get anything more than the basic designs."

After a round of silent nods, Kado spoke up again. "Let's make sure we're ready for whatever might come after we hand this over. Gardulla's not likely to just smile and send us on our way if she thinks there's something more valuable in that relic."

Jake agreed, and with that, they set to work. The rest of the evening was spent preparing, backing up the cache information, and scrubbing the original files. Jake took his time, meticulously encoding the backup data with layers of encryption. They double-checked everything until they were satisfied that no trace of the cache remained on the original relic.

The next morning, as they prepared to meet Gardulla's representatives, the crew shared a silent understanding: they were taking a calculated risk that could change everything—if they played it right.

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Back at Kado's shop, the crew gathered around a makeshift map of the Malachor system, each of them aware of the enormity of the prize waiting out in the debris fields. The biggest hurdle, however, was clear: they didn't have a ship. But with no one else aware of the cache's location, they knew they had time to plan carefully.

Kado tapped the map thoughtfully, his expression measured. "If we're going to pull this off, we need to do it right. We don't have the luxury of a full crew, and more importantly, we don't have a ship yet. Whatever we get will need the power to handle the debris fields around Malachor V—anything less will fall apart."

Mira nodded, leaning against the workbench. "Finding a ship that meets those specs and is within reach isn't going to be easy. And even if we manage to get one, it'll have to be quiet. If word gets out that we're sniffing around for a high-powered vessel, we'll attract attention we don't want."

"Exactly," Davik added. "We can take our time, but we should keep our ears open. This is a rare shot, and we can't afford to miss it."

Jake, who'd been studying the map, finally spoke up. "I can keep working on gear in the meantime. Some of the designs from the relic data could come in handy, especially if we need extra firepower when we get there. Just say the word, and I'll make sure we're stocked with enough gadgets to give us an edge."

Kado gave an approving nod. "Good thinking. Gear is one thing we have control over, and if we need it, we'll be glad to have it."

The rest of the crew agreed, exchanging glances. With a shared understanding, they knew there was no need to rush—they had a chance to be as thorough and prepared as possible before setting out for Malachor V.

"Alright," Kado said, setting a hand on the workbench, his voice steady. "Here's the plan. Mira, you keep an ear out for any ships coming up for sale or any rumors in the area that could lead us to what we need. Davik, check with contacts who might lend us a vessel on the quiet. And Jake, work on refining those designs. We'll meet back here in a week to see where we stand."

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Each crew member nodded, knowing that careful, steady progress would be their best chance. As they turned to their assigned tasks, they understood that every step mattered. If they played their cards right, this cache could be the find of a lifetime.

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Three weeks had rolled by since the crew's last big meeting about the hidden cache in the Malachor V debris fields. Life hadn't slowed down, and the team had stayed busy with a few smaller salvaging outings. While the finds weren't groundbreaking, they'd still added a nice boost to their stash of wupiupi, scrap parts, and some valuable equipment they could sell for credits. Each outing gave them a little more breathing room, slowly building their resources for the bigger haul on the horizon.

Mira had kept a sharp eye out for ships coming up for sale or potential leads on scrap vessels that only needed light repairs. Ship pickings were slim on Tatooine, especially for anything close to affordable. Davik had been working his contacts as well, carefully nudging a few bounty hunters he trusted for leads. But nothing concrete came through—until the latest whisper from a seller finally looked like it could be their ticket off-world.

The ship in question wasn't much to look at, and it wasn't exactly whole. According to the seller, a captain had lost his ship's cargo and half its droids after getting entangled in a nasty gambling debt. By the time he'd returned to his dock, his crew was gone, and scavengers had already stripped most of the valuable parts off the ship. The only upside was that he'd been able to scare off the worst of the looters, leaving the ship's skeleton mostly intact. The owner was desperate to leave Tatooine and willing to sell it as-is for a reasonable price.

Around the workshop table, the crew sat in the familiar dim glow of Kado's shop, poring over a basic hologram of the ship—a light freighter, stripped down but structurally intact. The frame was still solid, and the hyperdrive, while old, was repairable with the right parts.

Mira leaned forward, studying the specs on the holo. "It's definitely missing some key components, and we'd need to replace at least one thruster. But considering the price, this might be as close as we get."

Davik scratched his chin, looking thoughtful. "We'd need to pull together the missing parts. But given the funds we've got from those last few hauls, we're in a position to make this work."

When Jake laid eyes on the hologram, his heart skipped a beat. It wasn't just any light freighter—the stripped-down vessel was the same model as the Millennium Falcon, the iconic YT-1300. In his mind, he could already see all the potential modifications, upgrades, and unique tricks he could pack into a ship like this.

His silent giddiness quickly broke out into a series of demented chuckles as he stared, almost entranced, at the hologram. The rest of the crew exchanged uneasy glances, watching as Jake murmured things under his breath, oblivious to their stares.

"Yes… could reinforce the shields here… oh, and a retractable cannon right there… and maybe an overdrive thrust enhancer for quick escapes!" he mumbled, his eyes gleaming with something approaching madness.

Kado raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. "Uh, Jake? You alright?"

Jake didn't respond, too wrapped up in his own world of possibilities. Another unsettling laugh bubbled out of him as he whispered to himself about adding hidden compartments, turreted blasters, and some cloaking features that would make the ship a perfect getaway vehicle. The others exchanged a glance, a mix of confusion and amusement written on their faces.

Finally, Jake snapped out of it and threw his head back, unleashing a full, villainous cackle that echoed around the workshop. "Yes! This ship is going to be unstoppable!"

The rest of the crew visibly recoiled, Kado's eyes widening, while Mira raised her hands cautiously, as if she might need to duck out of the way. Davik, not one to show much fear, still edged back, eyebrow raised.

"Alright, evil genius," Mira said slowly, holding back a laugh. "As long as you keep your experiments on the ship and not on us."

Jake grinned, barely able to contain his excitement. With the ship in sight, the crew had no idea what kind of mad modifications Jake had planned. And while they were nervous, they were all secretly thrilled—because they knew that with Jake's designs, this YT-1300 might just become the legend it was meant to be.

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