> 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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The group’s excitement had settled into focused curiosity as they absorbed the significance of the Vault Key. While Rina sifted through the terminal for additional information, Jake returned to the cylindrical device he had temporarily dubbed the "folding workshop." Mira trailed behind him, her curiosity about the ancient droid still piqued.
“So, about that droid,” she began, gesturing toward the ancient machine standing frozen in the corner. “What’s your take on it? Think it still works?”
Jake glanced at the droid briefly before turning back to the folding workshop. “It’s incredible craftsmanship, no doubt about it. Ancient for sure, but I’d need more time to dig into it—figure out how it ticks, what it’s made for. Right now, I want to figure out what this thing does,” he said, patting the sleek surface of the folding workshop.
As he tinkered further, Jake made a surprising discovery. A subtle hum activated when he adjusted one of the machine’s panels, and a faint glow appeared near its base. Suddenly, the workshop floated a few centimeters off the ground, stabilizing on repulsorlifts. Jake stepped back in awe as the machine began to follow him slowly, as if tethered to his movements.
“Well, I’ll be—” Jake grinned. “This thing’s mobile. It’s got a follow function!”
Mira’s eyes lit up. “Now that’s handy. No need to lug it around like deadweight.”
Jake nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. “It’s not just a workshop. It’s a mobile tool station—or maybe even more. This thing was designed to assist, not just sit in one place. The more I see of it, the more impressed I get.”
Meanwhile, at the terminal, Rina’s work had finally paid off. The screen displayed a progress bar that had been creeping along painfully slowly, but now it completed with a triumphant chime. Rina leaned closer, her eyes scanning the text that appeared. Kano and Davik crowded around her, their expressions tense with anticipation.
“What’s it say?” Kano asked, unable to hide his impatience.
Rina read aloud, her voice steady but filled with intrigue. “The key we have… it unlocks a vault beneath the Ashen Wastes.”
The words hung in the air, and everyone exchanged puzzled looks.
“The Ashen Wastes?” Davik echoed, raising an eyebrow. “That’s no place I’d want to visit. Sounds like a death trap.”
Kano, ever the pragmatist, frowned. “If it’s buried under something called the Ashen Wastes, it’s not exactly meant to be found easily.”
Davik, still staring at the screen, suddenly blurted out, “Wait a minute. If this key goes to one vault, doesn’t that mean… there are others? More keys? More vaults?”
His exclamation made Rina pause. She scrolled through the terminal, trying to corroborate his theory. The data she found suggested Davik might be right—this was only one piece of a larger puzzle.
“What else does it say?” Jake asked, walking over with Mira, his floating workshop gliding silently behind him.
Rina pointed to a line of text near the bottom of the display. “Here. It says that each vault is sealed with a unique key. And this station… it’s just a repository. A place to store and safeguard them. Meaning this Vault Key is just the beginning.”
Jake and Mira leaned in, their eyes darting over the screen. Mira’s face darkened slightly. “If this is just a repository, then what exactly are we dealing with planet-side? The Ashen Wastes don’t sound like a vacation spot, and a vault there might be worse.”
Jake rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “If there’s more than one vault, and they’re this well hidden, there’s no telling what’s in them. Weapons, artifacts, records… or maybe something we can’t even imagine. But whatever’s in this one,” he said, pointing to the key in the box, “we’re the ones who are gonna find out.”
The group stood in silence for a moment, each lost in their thoughts. The stakes had suddenly become much higher. They weren’t just dealing with a single treasure or discovery—they were standing on the precipice of uncovering a vast, interconnected mystery.
“All right,” Rina said finally, her tone resolute. “We’ve got a direction. Let’s wrap things up here, grab what we can, and head planet-side. The Ashen Wastes won’t wait forever.”
Jake smiled, the thrill of the unknown lighting up his face. “Agreed. Let’s see what secrets Malachor’s hiding.”
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The sound of alarms blared across the station as Rina pulled the key from its mount. Almost immediately, the terminal nearest to her lit up with a flashing red message, followed by a cold, automated voice:
"Vault Key removed. Authorization codes required to abort station self-destruct. Timer initiated: ten minutes."
Rina froze for a heartbeat, clutching the key tightly as the weight of the situation sunk in. Behind her, Davik swore under his breath, his voice laced with frustration.
“Move!” Kado barked, motioning to the group. “We can’t override it; we have to go!” He toggled his commlink. “Tarek, the station’s rigged to blow! Prep for immediate launch!”
Back on the Stellar Envoy, Arlos still manned the topside turret, scanning for any potential threats. The alert that had startled him earlier continued to pulse on his console, its source distant but approaching. He contacted Tarek in the cockpit.
“Tarek, I’ve got nothing visual on the alert yet, but the sensors are picking something up—far, but heading this way.”
Tarek, his fingers flying over the control panels to ready the ship for an emergency takeoff, responded calmly, though his voice carried the tension of the moment. “Understood, Arlos. Keep tracking it. I’m calling the away team.”
Inside the station, Kado’s comm crackled to life with Tarek’s composed tone. “I’ve received your update, Kado. The ship’s prepped for departure. Arlos is monitoring something on the scanners—nothing confirmed yet, but you’ll want to hustle.”
“We’re already on it,” Kado replied as the group broke into a hurried march. “Nick droids, take the lead! Rina, Jake, Mira—stay in the rear with the key and the tools. Davik, you’re with me up front.”
Rina tightened her grip on the key, her mind racing. “Do you think it’ll let us out without a fight?” she muttered, nodding toward the still-alerted station systems.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“I’d rather not find out,” Jake said, directing the mobile tool station to follow alongside them. Skew-02, at Mira’s insistence, hoisted the ancient droid and kept pace.
The station’s automated voice droned again as they moved through the corridors:
"Self-destruct sequence engaged. Eight minutes remaining."
Kado barked over his shoulder, “No stopping! Just run!”
By the time the team reached the docking bay, the Stellar Envoy’s engines were already humming with readiness. The group sprinted toward the loading ramp, the Nick droids first aboard, followed by Jake and Mira with their precious cargo, then Davik and Rina. Kado was last, scanning the bay one last time before slamming the ramp controls to close.
From the cockpit, Tarek’s voice came over the intercom, firm and steady despite the tension. “Hold on, everyone. We’re launching now.”
The ship lifted off just as the countdown reached six minutes. Sensors pinged furiously as Tarek piloted the vessel out of the bay, narrowly avoiding debris dislodged by the station’s increasing instability. The source of the distant alert still loomed on the ship’s scanners, its origin a growing mystery.
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The Stellar Envoy shuddered slightly as it broke free from the station’s docking bay, navigating the debris field with practiced yet nerve-wracking precision. Tarek’s hands moved deftly over the controls, his normally light demeanor masked by a calm, focused expression. “Shields are holding,” he muttered to himself, though his voice carried over the cockpit comms, “but that bump cost us a quarter. Adjusting the inertial compensators.”
Jake bolted toward the cargo bay, the mobile tool station humming along in follow mode. Its repulsors kept it steady despite the ship's vibrations. Behind him, Skew-02 carefully carried the ancient droid, ensuring its joints were secure to prevent further damage. The droid’s mechanical grip tightened slightly, a protective quirk Jake had noticed but never fully debugged. He glanced over his shoulder as they entered the bay. “Easy, Skew-02. We’re not in combat—yet.”
Nick-01 and Nick-02, meanwhile, maneuvered with methodical precision through the narrow corridors toward the clamps Jake had installed near the medical bay. With a synchronized motion, they secured themselves, their servos locking into place. Nick-01 quipped to Nick-02 through their shared comms, “Safety first, Captain Jake would say. Though with his luck, safety’s just an afterthought.”
In the common area, Rina was already buckled into her seat next to Shmi and Anakin. Her satchel rested securely against her hip, the key hidden inside. She glanced down at it briefly, her mind racing. The sudden self-destruct sequence made it clear that whoever had left the station behind wanted the key guarded—desperately. She exhaled sharply, resolving to analyze the risks further once they were out of immediate danger.
Shmi tightened the straps on Anakin’s seat, ensuring the boy was secure. Anakin, wide-eyed but unafraid, clutched Zero as the companion droid chirped reassuringly. Shmi offered a comforting smile. “We’ll be fine, Ani. This ship’s crew knows what they’re doing.”
Back in the cockpit, Mira slid into her station, immediately rerouting auxiliary power to compensate for the shield loss. Her fingers danced over the control panels. “Shield status at seventy-five percent. I’m pulling from non-critical systems to balance it out. Tarek, watch for debris clusters—we can’t afford another hit like that.”
Kado, seated at the other support station, studied the scanner readings intently. “That alert Arlos flagged earlier—it’s still out there, far but consistent. Could be a ship on a slow approach. If they’re using passive systems, we might not get a full read until they’re closer.”
Tarek nodded without turning. “Keep monitoring please. If it gets within a threshold, I need to know.” He spared a glance at the viewport, navigating through the erratic debris. His voice was steady, though Mira caught the edge of adrenaline under his calm tone. “Arlos, give me updates if you see something. Davik, you spot anything below, I'm all ears.”
“Copy that,” Arlos responded. The former slave’s habit of polite formality persisted even under pressure. He scanned the field with sharp eyes, his turret sweeping methodically for anything unusual.
“Underside clear so far,” Davik’s voice came through. Despite muttering under his breath, “Let’s hope this is just a sensor glitch,” his hands rested confidently on the turret controls, ready to respond to any threat.
In the cargo bay, Jake reached a secure corner and immediately began inspecting the mobile workshop. He ran his hand along its surface, checking for any damage. It floated obediently beside him, its repulsors emitting a soft hum. Skew-02 carefully placed the ancient droid in a designated area, its optics flashing as it performed a rudimentary diagnostic of its burden. “Careful, Skew,” Jake said, half-focused on his work. “Last thing we need is for that thing to fall apart before I even know what it is.”
The comms crackled to life. Tarek’s voice carried the same calm professionalism that had begun to steady the rest of the crew. “I’ve got us in a safe corridor for now, but we’re threading the needle. Keep ready for evasive maneuvers. Arlos, Davik—stay sharp.”
“We’re good topside,” Arlos replied.
Davik chimed in, “Underside’s quiet. For now.”
Mira turned from her console to glance at Kado. “That alert... you think it’s pirates? Or Gardulla’s people?”
Kado shook his head, eyes never leaving his scanner. “Too far out for a definite answer. Could be anything. But until we know, we treat it like trouble.”
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Skew-02 locked itself onto a clamp in the cargo bay at Jake’s command, its servos whirring as it ensured the ancient droid was securely positioned. Jake gave the droid an approving nod before making his way to the common area. The ship shuddered slightly as Tarek adjusted its trajectory, prompting Jake to pick up his pace.
Sliding into a seat across from Shmi and Rina, Jake secured himself with the harness and let out a breath. “Alright,” he said casually, brushing a hand through his hair. “What’s the latest? And please, tell me it’s not ‘we’re all going to die.’”
Shmi offered him a reassuring smile, her voice calm as she answered. “Tarek’s holding steady. We’ve been monitoring the scanners, but nothing definitive yet. Just...alerts.”
Rina chimed in, her tone more contemplative. “The station's setup, the vault, the key—all of it reeks of old Republic military. Maybe something tied to the Jedi of that time too. They weren’t exactly like today’s Jedi, were they? I mean, not that I’ve met one, but they sound different in the histories.”
Jake leaned back, raising an eyebrow. “Different how?”
Rina shrugged, tapping a finger against the armrest. “More militaristic. More involved in wars. Less about peacekeeping and philosophy. That key might not just be for some weapons vault—it could be tied to something bigger.”
Jake absorbed her words, nodding slowly. “Great. So either we’ve stumbled on a treasure trove or a whole new level of trouble.”
Meanwhile, in the cockpit, Tarek’s hands moved with precision over the controls as Mira and Kado scanned the area. Nick-03 stood by, its optics flickering as it assisted with navigation, calling out adjustments in its usual clipped tone. “Angle correction: five degrees starboard. Obstacle clearance: optimal.”
Tarek’s jaw tightened as he followed Nick-03’s guidance. “Thanks, buddy. Let’s try to make it out of this field in one piece, shall we?”
Suddenly, a cascade of alerts lit up across the console. Nick-03’s voice cut through the tension. “Multiple contacts detected on the far edge of the scanners. Analyzing...scatter pattern suggests independent movements. Not one cohesive group.”
Mira leaned forward, her brow furrowing as she adjusted the scanner’s filters. “Scattered? Pirates? Or scavengers?”
Kado, seated beside her, narrowed his eyes at the readouts. “Could be anything. Wait—some of the contacts just disappeared.”
Tarek’s grip tightened on the controls. “Destroyed?”
Mira’s voice was sharp. “Looks that way. Something out there is taking them out. Could be infighting. Or...”
“Or something bigger,” Kado finished grimly. He crossed his arms, glancing back at Tarek. “We could use it. If it’s chaos out there, it might give us the distraction we need to slip to Malachor.”
Tarek considered the suggestion, his expression thoughtful. “Could work. But if whatever’s taking out those ships notices us, we’ll have more than debris to worry about.”
Kado nodded. “Better risk that than sit here waiting for it to find us.”
Mira leaned back, her tone practical. “Let’s hope they’re too busy with each other to notice us. But if they do...”
Tarek glanced over at her, a wry smile breaking through his calm. “I know, I know—don’t scratch the paint.”
In the common area, Jake turned to Shmi and Rina as the ship gave another subtle lurch. “I’m guessing that’s not just turbulence.”
Rina glanced toward the cockpit. “If I had to guess? Something’s happening out there. Scanners must be lighting up.”
Shmi gently squeezed Anakin’s hand, her voice steady. “Whatever it is, we’ll handle it.”
Jake gave her a small smile. “Here’s hoping. Guess I should’ve brought snacks for this ride.”
The Stellar Envoy pressed onward, its crew preparing for whatever lay beyond the debris field.
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