Outlaws

"Hit and run"

Part 1

A lone Imperial shuttle rockets through dead space towards a small distant moon. The moon grows closer and soon the shuttle is entering it's atmosphere. The ship breaks through the thick clouds to reveal a small imperial base perched on the side of a huge snow capped mountain. Inside the base an imperial officer, seated at a computer console, views the incoming shuttle on his screen. The officer calls out, "Commander Jock, we have a visitor!" Jock walks over to the Officer and stands over him to view the screen. "The Ship is hailing us sir." "Put it through." says Jock. "Inbound shuttle identify yourself" says the officer. The pilot answers back, "This is Shuttle 1-2-1-1 Requesting permission to land, Admiral Vassik has arrived to pickup the secret Warship plans." Jock is Stunned, "But We weren't expecting the Admiral 'till..." "Are the designs ready?" "Why, yes..." "Good, Prepare for our arrival" With a dazed look on his face Jock walks to nearby Stormtrooper wearing an orange pauldron on his shoulder, "Alert the men, Admiral Vassik is on his way." Jock commands. The shuttle slowly descends onto a small landing platform jutting out from the base while Commander Jock and two other officers officers, flanked on either side by two lines of 20 stormtroopers, file out on to the platform. The troopers stop on the the platform's walkway and stand at attention on either side while the officers stop just short of the landing shuttle. The ships landing gear touch down, plumes of steam shoot down towards the platform from the shuttles hull. The gangway slowly lowers into a cloud of steam, Seconds pass and no one can been seen in the darkened shuttle's interior. The group of officers share awkward glances while a few Stormtroopers, still standing at attention, curiously stare towards the shuttle. Suddenly, two shadowy figures step into the light. Jock whispers to himself, "That's not the Admiral, they're..."

Part 2

Two Lightsabers ignite, one green, one blue. "JEDI, FIRE!!" yells an officer. Before the troopers can react, the two fully cloaked Jedi release a huge Force push that rakes across the platform, Jock is blown back onto the walkway while nearly half the stormtroopers and the other officers are blown off the bridge. Sheer chaos erupts as the Jedi run and attack the remaining Imperials, screams and yells come from all directions, the troopers fight back to no avail. Amazingly, Jock has made it back to the doorway of the base, "CLOSE THE BLAST DOORS!" he yells to some troops in side the base. They rush to a control panel and push a button, the door slowly starts to close but the Jedi are getting closer as they cut down the last of the Troopers on the platform. The door closes just before the Jedi arrive, Jock sighs, "We're safe for now" , both Jedi Plunge their Lighsabers into the door and begin to cut a circular pattern. The Imperials look at each other frantically, "RUN!" The group takes off running down the hallway and up a large stair case to another doorway leading into the deserted command center. They run inside and one trooper closes the door behind them. "Captain, launch the distress beacon and see if you can contact command!" yells Jock, one of the troopers runs to a comm station and starts quickly typing on the computers keypad. Just then, frantic tapping and banging shake door, "Open the door, please!" a muffled voice yells from outside. "No, don't it's a trick!" a troopers insists. The voice grows louder, "Their coming, PLEASE HELP!!" Jock isn't convinced, "It can't be..." He walks slowly towards the door. Jock glances back at the troopers, "Defensive positions!" The troopers quickly position themselves in different places around the room, all pointing their weapons towards the door. "please!" the voice cries. Jock's trembling hand draws close to the button which opens the door, and he presses it.

Part 3

"Surprise surprise." taunts one of the Jedi. "AAAHHHHH!!!!" screams Jock as he jumps clear of the door. The troops begin firing only for their lasers to be deflected by the Jedi's Swords. A stray bullet strikes the seated officer and he slumps over his computer, meanwhile the Jedi dispatch the remaining Stormtroopers. Jock huddles in the corner of the room watching it all unfold, the two Jedi turn to face Jock, he swallows nervously. They slowly approach the commander while The Jedi with the green lightsaber pulls back his hood to reveal his face, a tall, middle aged Man with brown hair, a mustache and trimmed beard. The other, shorter Jedi does the same. He is clean cut Padawan in his early twenties with dark hair and a Padawan braid to signify his rank. The Padawan jabs his lightsaber in Jock's face, "Where are they?" he commands in a gruff voice. The elder Jedi rolls his eyes, "Ian, cut it out!" The Padawan snaps back in his normal voice, "Kyle please, I thought we were interrogating him." "Well yeah, but I think we've already scared him enough, not that your tough guy voice did any good.", Kyle answers "Very funny.", the Padawan mutters. Jock breathes a sigh of relief while the Jedi bicker, but it is cut short. "Ah, where were we? Oh yeah, you were about to hand over the plans." says Kyle . "What plans?" Jock asks, The Jedi glare at each other, "The plans you just told me you had." Jock shakes his head. Kyle becomes frustrated, "Perhaps this will refresh your memory", he raises his hand, "You will show us the plans now" he says as he waves his hand in front of him. Jock answers "I will show you the plans", he hops to his feet and walks over to a round Holo table in the middle of the room, he presses a button and a Hologram of a massive Super star destroyer appears above it. "Well well, what's this supposed to be?" Kyle asks. Jock glances at both Jedi who are now staring at him, "Oh alright! They're prototype designs for a proposed "Executor-class" Star Destroyer, it was a top secret project... until now." "It's huge", Ian remarks, "I wonder what the Empire is planning to doing with this thing?" Kyle answers, "I dunno, the Empire sure loves they're toys." Jock interrupts, "These designs are highly confidential, how did you know about them?" "Because one of your goons didn't bother to encrypt the transmission between you and Vassik, we intercepted it after we stole that shuttle.", answers Kyle. Meanwhile, Unseen to the Jedi, Jock draws a small pistol from behind him While standing close to Kyle, he takes one step back from the table and smirks as he takes aim at the Jedi's back. His shaky hand begins to squeeze the trigger.

Part 4

Before Jock can follow through with his attack, Ian catches a glimpse of the gun, he uses the Force to draw up a blaster, and fires it, "Aahh!.." Jock's lifeless body falls to the floor, "Ian!?!" Kyle exclaims. "What was that for?" Ian quickly defends himself, "He was tryin' to kill you, look!" Kyle glances down at Jock's body and notices the gun laying at his side, "Oh, good work, I guess." Ian rolls his eyes. Kyle hears a faint beeping sound, "What's that?" he asks. "What's what? Ian puzzles. "It's coming from over there." Kyle points to the comm station with an Officer laying on it. Ian walks over to the console and yanks the officer out of his seat revealing a flashing red button. "Uh oh" Ian mutters. "What now?" Kyle asks. Uuuhhh... It looks like the distress beacon is active." Kyle becomes agitated, "Well that's great, turn it off!". Ian press a few buttons and the beeping stops, "Lets hope we don't get any visitors." Kyle glances out a view port, "Too late." Ian runs to the window just as an Imperial Gunship, like those used during the Clone Wars, descends on the platform". A massive Venator-class Star Destroyer looms in the sky above the base. "This can't be good..."

Part 5

The gunship pulls along side the walkway leading into the base, A squad of Stormtroopers and an Imperial officer file out . "There goes our ride." Says Ian, "To bad this place doesn't have a back door." Kyle pauses, "Wait a second, where does that Lift go?" Kyle asks pointing to to a turbo-lift at the opposite side of the room. "Gimme a map." Kyle orders. Ian rushes to the table and quickly presses some buttons, a hologram of the base appears showing the command center and the landing platform, but the map reveals something else, a large hanger below the base embedded in the opposite side of the mountain. "A hanger." Ian exclaims. "And it's probably got a ship in it." Says Kyle. "That'll be our best bet, get those plans on a Holo disc, fast!" Kyle walks to the door and closes it while Ian frantically presses buttons on the Holo table . Outside the Imperials have arrived at the command center's door, "Get it open." the officer orders. A trooper rips the control panel's facing off and begins fiddling with the wires behind it. Kyle can hear the commotion outside, "Time to go" he insists. "I got 'em!" yells Ian. "Good, let's go." Both Jedi run to the turbolift and the door closes behind them. Seconds later, the Imperials burst into the command center with guns drawn. The officer wanders around the room observing the bodies of the base's personnel. He pulls out a small Holoprojector, the blue hologram above it begins to flicker and takes the shape of slender imperial officer. He is an older man with gray hair and a Goatee dressed in the usual Imperial garb. "What have you got?." he asks in a deep voice. The officer responds, "Admiral Vassik sir, There's no one left, all the troops, even Commander Jock is dead." Vassik is horrified, "But how.... who could've done this." The officer answers, "Many of the troopers have wounds consistent with that of a lightsaber." "Jedi!" the Admiral confirms. "Where are they now?" The officer continues, "It looks like they're headed to the main hanger below us." Vassik becomes nervous, "Hurry, secure that hanger! They cannot be allowed to escape in the Scorpion!" He glances towards the door just as a riot trooper wearing specialized white armor with a Jet pack and carrying an electrostaff, walk into the command center. The officer smiles, "I think we can handle them." Meanwhile, The Jedi arrive in the hanger, the door to the turbo lift opens and they step out of it only to stop dead in they're tracks. They stand motion less staring at a massive ship parked in the hanger. Ian finally breaks the silence, "This place's got everything."

Part 6

The ship is 50 feet long, 30 feet wide and 20 foot tall with wings jutting out it's side with folding solar panel blades on the wing tips. It's hull is boxy with many angles, the front slopes up to an elongated glass bubble sitting front and center on the top serving as the cockpit. The ship has no landing gear, instead the bottom is flat and it sits on the ground. It has 4 laser cannons on the front, 2 side by side in a notch in the bottom center and 2 attached to the outside. It has 4 engines as well, 2 on the wings and two within the ship partially poking above the top. "Some ship, I've never seen anything like it." Ian comments. "I don't think anyone has.", Kyle adds. Ian continues, "It's strange that the Empire would want to keep all of their goodies in one, pitifully guarded base." "Perhaps the good Admiral was planning on picking up all this junk." The 2 Jedi walk to the rear of the ship and walk through an airlock in the middle directly below the main engines. The door to the cockpit opens, they walk in and glance around. The roof of the cockpit is a long dome of glass stretching from the door narrowing to a point just in front of the pilots. 4 seats line the the sides that sport work stations filled with buttons and view screens. Two seats sit at the front of the cockpit divided by a waist high console running between them. Before They can continue to the pilot seats, "Stop right there!", a mechanical voice calls from behind them. Kyle and Ian exchange glances wondering what they were up against.

Part 7

Ian glances behind him and takes a deep breath, he then spins around like a top to face the intruder while doing so igniting his Lightsaber and cutting the unknown's hand off at the wrist. "Oooohh Nooo!!" a deep voiced male droid screams. Kyle turns to face the attacker, it is merely an all black protocol droid with a missing right hand. "Why did you have to go and take my hand off like that?" Kyle smugly replies, "Why did you have to stick a gun in our backs?" The droid clutches his head with his remaining hand, "I can't help it! It's my programing, I sometimes can't control it." Ian rolls his eyes, "Great, a droid with an alter ego. This place's full of surprises." "Enough with the comic relief, let's get outta here." Kyle orders. Both Jedi walk to the front of the cockpit and slide into the pilots seats. The droid soon follows, "Um, sir? I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. This ship was constructed specifically for Admiral Vassik, he would be very cross if you used it." Kyle answers, "I'm sure the admiral won't mind if we "Borrow" it for a while." The droid continues, "Your quite mistaken sir, I was given very strict orders to-" "Your relieved of your duty." Kyle interrupts. "Oh..." the droid replies as he sits down in one of seats behind the Jedi. Kyle and Ian begin pressing buttons and flipping switches. Just then a contingent of Imperials step out of the turbo lift, led by an officer. The Scorpion begins to lift off, "Trooper, the doors!" yells the officer. A Stormtrooper runs to a doorway and up a stair case to the control room. He pulls a lever on one of the desks, the massive doors to the hanger slam shut. "Blast!" Kyle yells, "Looks like they've cut off our only escape route!" Ian spins around in his seat and jumps up, "I'll take care of it." he says as he runs through the cockpit doors. Kyle is shaken, "But Padawan! Ah! He never knows when to stop sometimes." Ian climbs up inside a shaft and presses a button, several hatches open above him. Ian climbs out onto the top of the ship, just behind the cockpit. Ian pulls out his comlink, "Master, get as close as you can to that Command center." All he can hear is static. "Master, do you copy?" There is no response, "He never keeps his comlink on." Ian mutters to himself. He looks across the wide gap between the hull of the ship and the hanger's control room directly across from him. "I can jump that." he optimistically thinks to himself. "Your not going anywhere Jedi." a muffled voice calls from above. Ian glances around and ignites his Lightsaber, suddenly four riot troopers drop down surrounding him. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."


Part 8

The troopers close in on Ian. One of them raises his staff and charges, Ian blocks the blow and kicks him sending him tumbling of the ship. Ian smiles with triumph but it is short lived. The other 3 move into attack him, Ian force jumps behind one them stabs him in the stomach. The trooper drops to the floor, dead. "2 on 1. This isn't so bad!" Ian thinks to himself. Just then a web of purple lightning engulfs Ian's body, "Aaahh!!" he screams as he falls to the ground, behind him stands the riot trooper Ian kicked off the ship. The trooper gazes at Ian as he twirls his electrostaff, "Do you wish to surrender Jedi or should we be more... convincing." he taunts. Ian fires back, "Jedi NEVER surrender!" he hops to his feet attacks the trooper, the other 2 follow and a fierce duel ensues atop the ship. Meanwhile inside the cockpit Kyle starts to worry, "Where could he be?"he curiously thinks to himself while being oblivious to the bloody battle being fought just out of his sight behind the cockpit. Ian tries his best block all the trooper's blows but soon it becomes unbearable. He begins to be zapped on different parts of his body from all different directions. His Saber locks with one of the trooper's staff, a second comes up behind Ian ready to strike. Ian kicks him in the face and darts away. The troopers surround him once again and force him out onto the left wing. Ian is exhausted, he uses the Force to pickup and throw one of the Riot troopers into another. The troopers quickly hop to their feet only to discover that Ian has disappeared and his empty cloak is all the remains. "What the..."




Next part coming soon.....