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Coruscant
One Year After the Destruction of the First Death Star
Mai Evenstar hid in the shadows of an alleyway as three hovercars passed by shining spotlights at the street beneath them. One of them slowed to a stop and shone their light down the alley she was hiding in. She ducked down further behind the dumpster and held her breath. After what seemed like an eternity the Imperials gave up and continued on their way. Mai let out an explosive sigh of relief after they had gone. She wore a black jumpsuit that clung to her slender form. A utility belt adorned her waist and she wore black high-heeled boots on her feet. Her raven hair was pulled back into a long pony-tail that reached halfway down her back and her icy indigo eyes searched the mouth of the alleyway intently.
"That was close," Jaxx commented from behind her.
"Too close," Raptor concurred, "C'mon, we'd better hurry or we'll miss the rendezvous."
"Right," Jaxx replied after grabbing Mai's arm and forcing her to her feet. "C'mon, this way!" He led the way out onto the empty street and to the base of the outer wall of the Imperial base. They crept along the wall until they found an access hatch leading into the base. An electronic lock sat on the wall next to the door.
"Alright, Mai," Jaxx said, "work your magic, honey."
Mai nervously approached the door and pulled a small datapad out of her pocket. She attached two cords to the electronic lock and ran a decoding program. Six zeros popped up on the datapad's screen and began cycling through numbers very rapidly. After a few seconds the first digit stopped on a three followed by a seven for the third digit. The second digit was an eight, the fourth and fifth another eight and a zero. The sixth kept cycling.
Jaxx checked his chrono and tapped his foot impatiently. "Hurry, Mai, we don't have much time."
"Patience," Mai replied absent-mindedly as she watched the last digit intently. Finally it flashed a six and the door popped open. "There," Mai exclaimed triumphantly.
"Sh, c'mon," Jaxx said and, after grabbing her arm, gently urged her into the door. A small courtyard spread before them and spotlights swept back and forth along every inch of it. "This way," Jaxx said quietly while pointing to the shadows on their left. They crept along the inside of the wall and stopped as one of the spotlights neared them. Mai found herself holding her breath again as the circle of light inched closer and closer.
The spotlight stopped a foot away from them then began slowly falling back. Mai allowed herself to breath slowly for a moment before Raptor urged her forward. She followed Jaxx along the wall until they reached their destination, an Imperial warehouse. Inside was their target, a hover truck carrying a recent shipment of Imperial weapons. They crept up to a small doorway next to the warehouse's large main door. Mai pulled out her datapad again and ran the decoder. A moment later and the door was open and the three thieves crept into the warehouse.
There was no one inside which prompted Jaxx to smile broadly. "This is too easy," he said as he led them through the warehouse. Crates stacked upon crates sat in huge rows throughout the warehouse, filled with supplies ranging from food to weapons. The truck they were searching for sat in the middle of the warehouse, a single spotlight encircled it.
"There it is," Jaxx said, indicating the truck, "Mai, get the door. Raptor, help me with the truck."
Mai rushed over to a ladder leading up into the control room and climbed up it. Inside she scrambled over to the computer console and took a seat at the controls. She began typing rapidly on the keyboard as she attempted to disable the warehouse's security systems and open the main door. Meanwhile Raptor walked around behind the truck to check the shipment. He opened up the back and smiled. Two rows of crates sat along either wall of the trailer.
Raptor heaved himself up into the back of the truck and approached the nearest crate. He reached down and pressed his hand on the crates surface and began to open it. "Raptor," he stopped suddenly at the sound of Jaxx's voice, "get over here and give me a hand."
"Roger," Raptor replied after making sure the crate was shut securely. He hopped down from the back of the truck and went to help Jaxx. A large grinding noise filled the warehouse as the massive door began to slowly open. Outside the spotlights were turned off and all the power throughout the warehouse was out. Jaxx keyed a single button on a small communicator he held in his left breast pocket.
A large explosion sounded outside and the three could just make out the fires erupting from the opposite side of the base. Phase two of the plan was under way. Jaxx gave a low whistle and waved to Mai in the control room. She rushed to the ladder and slid down it. After Mai was aboard the hovertruck Jaxx powered it up and blasted through the warehouse door and out into the courtyard. Shouts could be heard from behind them as Imperials rushed out onto the courtyard behind them. The door of the main gate was still opening ponderously slow and they had just enough room to get the truck through.
Blaster shots erupted from the soldiers behind them and darts of red energy rained in around the truck as it blasted through the main gate. Sparks flew as the side of the truck scraped along the opening door. Then they were out onto the street and home free. "Yeeeeehaaaaa," Jaxx let out a triumphant shout as they sped down the street and towards the location of their secret rendezvous.
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"I trust the shipment is intact," the cloaked figure spoke in a low voice.
"I gaurantee it," Jaxx told him with a broad smile. Raptor and Mai sat a few feet away smiling and conversing quietly with eachother.
"Very well," the man replied, "Here you are, 15,000 credits as promised."
"Thank you very much, sir, and I trust you won't be disappointed," he reached forward to take the money, but the man pulled it away from him. "Not yet," he said, "we still have to check the cargo."
The man nodded once and three more cloaked figures approached the back of the truck. One of them reached forward and was knocked back in surprise as the double doors burst open. Storm Troopers piled out of the back of the truck, blaster rifles raised and firing. "Its a trap," the cloaked man shouted as he pulled a blaster from beneath his robe and started firing at the Imperials. One Storm Trooper went down with a shot to the head, followed by a second, a hole burned into his chest.
Mai screamed and Raptor grabbed her roughly by the arm and pushed her towards the back door of the abandoned building. "Jaxx," she screamed and he whirled around to follow them, but fell roughly to the ground as a blaster shot nailed him in the back. "No," Mai's shout was a wail of pain and sorrow. She tried to rush over to him, but Raptor forced her back. "No," she shouted, "We can't leave him!"
"He's gone, Mai," Raptor yelled back, "He's gone!"
"Nooo!" Raptor forced her through the door and just before he could step through he took a blaster shot in the leg. "Raptor," Mai shouted as she reached down to help him. He pushed her roughly away and shouted, "Go! Leave me!"
"No," Mai said undecisively, "I...I can't!" She bent down to help him again and again he pushed her away. "I said go," he shouted, another blaster shot from the Imperials caught him square in the back and he slumped forward, dead. "Raptor," Mai screamed at the top of her lungs. She knelt beside him and gently brushed one hand along his face. The sound of armor-clad footfalls caught her attention and she quickly got to her feet and darted into the alleyway.
A squad of Storm Troopers burst through the door and out into the alleyway. A single Trooper stayed behind and waited impatiently by the doorway as the others fanned out to search for the girl. After an hour one of the Troopers returned and handed the commander a small datapad. "She's gone, sir," he said simply.
"It matters little," the commander replied, "the thieves have been caught and eliminated. They won't be bothering us again and I don't think we'll have to worry about her, Corporal, after all she's only a girl."
"And her crimes against the Empire, sir? We let her get away scott free?"
"Good point, Corporal," the man took off his helmet and thoughtfully rubbed his chin, "Very well then, put a report out on her and offer a reward. Some two-bit bounty hunter will pick her up..."