Half The Fun Is Getting There

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

Hyperspace travel is horrible.

Vu’thari paced the passageway of the Parallax exploration ship. The only benefit of having long hyperspace routes was that he and Ayasha were given time to catch up on much needed sleep…and much needed healing. The pair were battered and bruised from the back to back missions. As soon as they got the Equinox back to Nar Shaddaa, Ayasha and Vu’thari were called in to find The Jester on Dunari’s Rest. But as soon as that was done, Hugo sent them back out to investigate mysterious occurrences that seemed Force related on a planet called Indupar. But the Equinox was out of commission getting its hyperdrive motivator repaired. Apparently, the foul weather they ran into on Anoat did a number on many of the more sensitive circuits. So, once ensuring the Parallax exploration ship they took home was checked out for any tracking devices, electronic surveillance, or any other surprises, Vu’thari and Ayasha took it on the next assignment. Of course, the twi’lek felt like he had to name the ship and started calling it the Apogee. With Apogee meaning the highest point in the development of something or the climax or culmination, that was his opinion about the ship for their purposes. Who knows what else spurred that name, but it was how he was referring to the ship.

Once they got to Indupar and did a bit of snooping around, they got to the bottom of the “mysterious occurrences”. In the end, it was just a big scam initiated by an unscrupulous profiteer. With his “side show” uncovered, the two Jedi left the planet to return to Tatooine.

During their time in the Apogee, Vu’thari began really digging into the ship’s systems…it was a gem. The Fortune Stalkers had equipped the vessel with an IFF Spoofer, no doubt to get them in and out of all the different places they needed to get into as to not attract attention. It was a highly advanced iteration of that device to boot. He was quite sure he would be hard-pressed to find a slicer that would be willing to build him one for an amount of credits that he could hope of affording. Not to mention how much this would ease the transition going into and out of Imperial Hutta. Another surprise that was not standard on a stock Parallax was a pop-up groundsweeper turret mounted underneath the ship. It was a nice addition to the ship with only a dorsal mounted turret as its armament. He knew this was not a combat ship, but at least the Apogee had a few tricks up her sleeve…

As for Ayasha, much of the tension during their time at Dunari’s Rest. It was good to be in her company without confusion, frustration and nervousness. It was a relaxed setting on the Apogee and SawDip was in good spirits the entire time. One aspect of this trip that Vu’thari noticed, but really didn’t pay much mind to until now was the bond between SawDip and Ayasha. The two were inseparable and he could tell the little droid loved Ayasha. While in the end, the unique little astrogation droid was just a bucket of circuits and gears, sometimes he had to wonder. But with Ayasha lack of understanding much of what the galaxy would throw at her, SawDip was really good for her. SawDip was really not that complicated in its personality matrix—he was a pleaser. He loved helping Vu’thari and Ayasha. All it really wanted in return was to be appreciated and taken care of. If those two aspects were seen to, Vu’thari knew that little droid would do anything for the pair.

Between the datapad used for translation and SawDip, Ayasha was starting to pick up Binary fairly quickly. He noticed that SawDip was using simple sentences to ease her into his programmed language. A smile crept to his face as the two shared a joke and Ayasha’s infectious laugh filled the passageway. Leaning against the bulkhead with his arms crossed, the twi’lek mused as the pair noticed he was grinning at them, “Aren’t you two peas in a pod…”

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

The past several weeks had been a whirlwind in the sense that Ayasha and Vu'thari were continuously on the go. The woman found her circadian rhythm completely out of whack as she had been catching cat naps here and there while traveling. Her body hurt in places she had never felt pain before and she was battered and bruised from head to toe. The superficial wound on her thigh from a wayward blaster bolt on Anoat was nearly healed, but the padawan was convinced that it still hurt. These circumstances made this time aboard the Apogee precious as the pair of Jedi were able to catch up on the sleep they had been lacking as well as have some much needed down time where the expectations upon them were light.

Ayasha had spent a good portion of time reading and continued researching everything about everything since she knew very little about anything. Her mind was like a sponge and she absorbed information as rapidly as she could process what was on the screen. She studied about the Jedi of old, about important galactic events, even about culture and current events. The padawan watched holovids about hand to hand combat and read up on martial arts from across many cultures and planets. She was able to return to her meditation routine and was beginning to feel a near constant connection with the Force. Life with Vu'thari and SawDip was the happy ending she had never expected from her ordeal of being removed from Galtea.

Vu'thari and Ayasha had grown exceptionally close very quickly and the woman was thankful that the awkward tension that had danced between them in the not so distant past was nothing more than a memory now. The pair had found time to discuss the myriad of emotions that had encapsulated their experience at the casino as they searched for the Jester. They agreed that transparency with one another going forward would be ideal and so that old adage remained true, honesty really was the best policy.

In the lounge portion of the Apogee, Ayasha found herself a comfortable spot upon one of the plush couches. She sat with the datapad in her lap with the screen pulled up to an article with the title “Sith Philosophy”. The padawan decided that in order to better understand those that rivaled the Jedi in every sense of the word, she would need to spend time studying their beliefs and practices. All of it was incredibly confusing as she could not help but find the flaw and lie behind every tenet and every principle. How it was that anyone could embrace such doctrine was beyond her.

As Ayasha studied, SawDip rolled up to her with a sequence of happy whistles and beeps. The young woman looked up from her reading and smiled. She set the datapad on the cushion beside her and shifted her weight in her seat. The padawan tucked her legs into a pretzel shape and leaned forward toward the droid. “I look bored? Only a little...I've been reading a lot,” she smiled at her mechanical friend. He beeped and whistled a short sequence as the woman nodded, finally beginning to grasp the binary language he spoke. “Yes, you're right...I should give my eyes a rest,” she smiled, noting how intuitive he was to the needs of humans.

“Aren't you two peas in a pod...” Vu'thari's voice added to the exchange between the padawan and droid. Ayasha smiled and reached a hand toward SawDip, giving a pat atop his head. “SawDip thinks I should take a break from my studies. I think he's right,” she winked at the little machine before shooting a grin in the direction of the Jedi Master. “I was beginning to wonder what happened to you,” the woman added with a laugh. She gestured to the empty cushions on the couch where she was sitting. “This ship is pretty nice. I've had a chance to explore a little bit and I think this might be my new oasis,” she explained while looking around the plush room. The craft offered several comforts and amenities that the pair were not regularly accustomed to.

Ayasha stretched and gathered her lengthy hair into a clump at the back of her head before tying a small elastic band around the bunch above her neck. She was beginning to explore new styles but decided to begin with a simple ponytail. SawDip beeped and chirped with tones of praise. “Well thank you, I like it too,” she gave a nod of appreciation toward the droid. He continued with a long series of beeps and whistles to which Ayasha gave a lopsided grin at Vu'thari. “You're right, pigtails would be the closest I could get to my own lekku...but I think they look better on him,” she laughed for a long moment before setting her gaze upon the twi'lek's face. She leaned back and smiled, thinking about how different her life had been until she met him on Kashyyyk.

“To think I wanted to plant an arrow in you that first day,” Ayasha shared with a grin. SawDip beeped in a way that sounded like laughter. The padawan shook her head as she attempted to stifle her own giggle. “That isn't nice, SawDip...I don't think you could manage a bow anyway...” The droid chirped in defeated tones but the young woman patted his head again and he instantly perked up. It was true what Vu'thari had said, they really had become two peas in a pod.


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

It brought a smile to the twi’lek’s face as he pondered SawDip looking out for her well-being. It was true, the little droid had almost taken it upon itself to help Ayasha with the things she was unfamiliar with.

She needs him more than I do. He would be good for her…

Comments about the ship brought a renewed smile to his face, looking around as she did. Nodding in agreement, he added, “An oasis? I never thought about it like that, but I suppose so. I agree with you about this ship. Everything is tightly packed in this hull type, but it does have just about everything needed for long trips. In fact, those Fortune Stalkers added a few surprises in here too. Whoever worked on this ship, knew their stuff.”

Watching her put her hair back in a ponytail, he grinned, “I was going to suggest that, but some decisions you need to come to on your own. Lekku? Great for parties…tough the rest of the time.”

A wink accompanied his assessment on her “lekku pigtails”. She spoke of when she pointed a bow and arrow at him on Kashyyyk. He did indeed remember, but he had small connection with her even then and knew she wasn’t going to shoot him. SawDip beeped and chirped sadly, bringing yet another smile to his face…

Suddenly, the ship lurched. Alarms started blaring all over the ship. SawDip quickly relayed the code that the ship was pulled out of hyperspace by an obstruction in their hyperspace route. They were not in an established hyperspace lane, so this was always a possibility, despite SawDip’s best astrogation efforts. Not wasting a second, Vu’thari ran to the cockpit, not taking the time to explain to Ayasha what was going on. Looking out of the viewport, the Apogee was at the edge of an asteroid field. Deftly, the twi’lek slid into the pilot’s seat. The rocky texture of a looming asteroid got closer and closer. Yanking up on the control stick, the Apogee responded, climbing up with the sublight engines roaring in response. Barely missing the large asteroid, it seemed like they were on the edge. Vu’thari was relieved and could see how they could just go around the large field.

THEME ​

But then a new alarm sounded: unidentified ships. Looking over at his sensor readouts, they were closing quickly. Quickly flipping through the identification profiles, it identified a capital ship, a Jantell-class Galleon, two RX/4 Starfighters, and two RX3 Starfighters…and they were right on top of the Apogee. As he looked down on his radar, he could see the four fighters already maneuvering for a firing solution.

We are outgunned, out of position, and too slow for those starfighters--we don’t have a choice...

Yelling out to his Padawan, he stated, “Ayasha, get on the rear turret…and buckle up!”

Twisting the control stick while buckling his own safety harness, the Apogee found an opening in the asteroid field and dipped right into it…

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

The trio, though very odd in appearance, felt like a little family as they laughed and talked with one another. It was amusing the things that a human, a twi'lek and a droid found to discuss. Ayasha had seldom thought of Galtea since Vu'thari had asked her to be his padawan. Her entire life had changed in the blink of an eye and when she was left alone with her thoughts, she pondered if she would ever go back to her home planet. It was in those moments that she surmised that she would not, and she was at peace with this mindset. There were greater things waiting on her now, and she had a higher calling to fulfill as a Jedi.

These thoughts mingled with others from the conversation she was sharing with the others. Suddenly the ship lurched violently and alarms began to blare throughout the craft. SawDip beeped and whistled a code that Ayasha did not understand and Vu'thari sprinted toward the cockpit. The padawan was on the brink of giving into her fear as she hurried to a viewport and peered out into the inky scene that swallowed up the Apogee. Her eyes grew wide as she backed up slowly and covered her mouth as if to arrest the scream that stood ready on her tongue.

The young woman had never seen an asteroid much less a field of them in her entire life. She had no understanding of what it was that she was looking at and could only base her reaction on her limited knowledge of flight. Clearly there were objects, very large objects that were moving quickly and erratically right in the path that they had been heading. All Ayasha could think of was that one of these massive wayward rocks would slam into the Apogee and that would be it for all aboard. As the padawan was attempting to process the scene before her, another alarm began to sound throughout the craft.

“SawDip, please tell me what's happening, I don't understand!” Ayasha knelt down beside the little droid who beeped and chirped frantically. “Slow down...” she raised and lowered her hands as if to demonstrate the need for him to bring the speed of his binary to a beginner's level. Again, the droid beeped and chirped, though much slower this time. The padawan shook her head as her brows furrowed in confusion. “Okay, an asteroid field...we can just go over or around it...right?” she questioned her mechanical companion. He relayed another series of sounds as Ayasha rose to her feet. “Unidentified ships....” her voice trailed off as she eyes moved from SawDip to the floor.

As the padawan stood there attempting to process the gravity of the situation, Vu'thari's voice yelled out to her. “Ayasha, get on the rear turret...and buckle up!” his words were almost a foreign language to the young woman who had only explored that portion of the ship a handful of times. She had never used the turret system, though the twi'lek had given her a casual explanation of its function when they first toured the Apogee. With racing thoughts and more questions than she had answers for, the young woman hurried from the lounge toward the rear turret.

Ayasha climbed down a short ladder that nearly ended in the seat below. She slid into the padded chair and pulled the harness down over her head. It formed an “X” across her chest and held her tightly against the seat, but she still did not feel safe. It was in that moment that the padawan realized she was doing everything without the Force. She shook her heard and closed her eyes while drawing in a deep breath through her nose. She imagined the deep rivers on Galtea and how powerful the water was as it tore past her body while she stood half submerged in the cool current.

This imagery took Ayasha right to the endless flow of the Force. She felt the everything around her but more importantly, she could see everything around her with her mind's eye. Suddenly the switches and indicators were not simply small parts on a consul but rather, clues to her success in this position. In her mind, there were several levers glowing and she felt the Force guiding her hand to activate them. Before the padawan knew it, she was acting out of instinct with the Force as her guide. She flipped several switches and brought the turret controls down and in place. She knew that her telepathic skills were strong enough to reach Vu'thari at the opposite end of the ship, but she was worried about hearing him in return at this distance and so, she opted for the comlink. The woman reached for the device on her belt and called for the Jedi Master. “I'm ready, Vu'thari. We can do this.”


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

The Apogee responded to his movements, sliding in among the drifting asteroids. While some were not big enough to concern the deflector shields, other asteroids were much larger than the Parallax-class exploration vessel. Fortunately, the ship was known for being one of the most maneuverable for its class, so it responded much quicker to Vu’thari’s movements than the Equinox. However, the danger in navigating an asteroid field with all its many variables was a task that was incredibly dangerous. Couple that risk with the additional danger of being shot at by four fighters, that was another matter altogether. Reaching over, he slipped the ship’s headset over his head that was connected to the internal intercom system. One of the larger asteroids quickly came into view causing the twi’lek to bank the Apogee hard to the left, rolling to level out and avoiding the next one that floated past. Red cannon fire was exploding parts of nearby asteroids. The ship reeled as one of the shots slammed into the rear deflector shield.

“I'm ready, Vu'thari. We can do this.”

Just barely able to hear here, he yelled, “Put the headset on to your left!”

Vu’thari wanted to just be able to talk to Aysaha and not have to yell and not have to depend on their connection of the mind. He could feel the tension in his hands and the beads of sweat already forming on his forehead…

What am I doing? Relax…use the Force.

Taking a deep breath, the Jedi seemed to force out most of his tension with his exhale. He knew that not only was he going to have to avoid asteroids and avoid cannon fire—he was also going to have to discourage pursuit...by making pursuit dangerous. There were four starfighters pursuing him according to his radar. It looked like the galleon decided not to follow the Apogee into the asteroid field, but instead make its way around the field with the hope to cut them off.

Over the headset, Vu’thari instructed, “Let go, Ayasha. Feel the shot before you take it. Don’t just target the ships behind us—your cannon fire can force them into a bad position. These asteroids can be your ally…”

Slipping his hand over to the modification added to this ship, Vu’thari lowered the groundsweeper cannon, flipped the cannon to “ship to ship” engagement mode, which resulted in a lower rate of fire, but a bigger punch. He locked the small cannon in a forward firing arc, moving control of the weapon to the pilot’s seat. This was the only weapon he had, so he would use it to break apart smaller asteroids that it did not make sense to avoid.

Breathe, breathe…

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

“Put the headset on to your left!” Vu'thari's voice shouted back in a tone that his padawan was not expecting. The twi'lek who was typically a pillar of peace and calm, even amidst storms and trials, sounded exasperated. Ayasha first looked to her right and then her left as she scrambled to find the headset. Upon locating the device, she lifted it with trembling hands and slipped it over her head. Though she told herself she was ready for the fight facing the Apogee, her pounding heart suggested otherwise.

The young woman drew in a deep breath as she placed her hands upon the trigger mechanism of the ship's cannon. Her eyes frantically searched the void of space where she finally saw the heavy presence that now faced them. “Let go, Ayasha. Feel the shot before you take it,” Vu'thari's voice returned to the woman's ears. His tone had shifted to something more familiar. She could feel the peace emanating from the Jedi Master, even from the far side of the ship. “Don't just target the ships behind us,” he began to explain as the padawan swung her aim from one to the next. She was beginning to feel a wave - no, an ocean of anxiety wash over her.

“Your cannon fire can force them into a bad position. These asteroids can be your ally...” the twi'lek instructed. As he spoke, the young woman closed her eyes and rested her head against the trigger shaft. She silently wished that someone else would have been sitting there. She began to doubt herself. She began to doubt her abilities. She began to doubt her training. She then realized that she was worrying about something that had not happened yet. Worry was something that Vu'thari had cautioned her against during training. Ayasha was prone to worry about things that were yet to come, but she was beginning to see how such a practice was a waste of time.

The ships appeared to be getting closer and the padawan sat back, drew in a deep breath and pressed the worry down. She embraced the Force as it flowed around her and through her. “The red ones or the green ones?” Ayasha shouted through the headset to her Jedi Master. “Aim for the red ones, they have no shields!” the twi'lek answered nearly as quickly as the woman had posed the question. The padawan locked a red RX/3 Starfighter into view and felt the Force connect her mind with her hands. Without a second thought, the padawan railed on the trigger, laying a firestorm against the incoming fighter.

Much to the woman's surprise, the shots connected flawlessly with the craft and it exploded with a shower of sparks and debris. Ayasha yelled and threw her fist up into the air as she celebrated her success. “I got him!” she shouted as she grabbed the mic of the headset and pulled it closer to her lips. The padawan shifted her weight in her seat and took hold of the controls as before. She knew that her work was not done, but having a success early on was the encouragement she needed to see this through.

Ayasha felt the ship take a plunge once again. Though the size and number of the asteroids were concerning, the young woman had complete faith in Vu'thari's ability to pilot the craft. She had gone from being absolutely terrified of flight to finding it easy to sleep while the Jedi Master was at the controls. She knew that he relied on the Force to give him the edge over anything that they would face, and she admired his courage in situations like the one they now found themselves in. “Alright...are we going to do this again?” the padawan asked of the twi'lek.

The young woman's eyes searched the inky darkness surrounding the Apogee and she caught sight of a few other fighters that looked like the one that had just met its end at her hands. “Am I going for the red one again?” she questioned as she watched several massive asteroids zip past the craft. The fighters in pursuit dodged them, though it seemed like Vu'thari was keeping their opposition at a beneficial distance. At this rate, Ayasha was confident that they would see the other side of this conflict and it would be another story in their growing list of tales.


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

“I got him!”

It took him a moment before he could respond, “Well done, Ayasha! Stay focused…”

While Vu’thari never considered himself a good pilot, he was encouraged by the progress they were making through the asteroid field. Laying down on the trigger, the groundsweeper cannon tore into some smaller asteroids that would have played havoc on his forward shields. A fine mist of pebbles assaulted the viewport harmlessly. There was really no time to look and check the progress of the three other starfighters in pursuit.

Vu’thari hugged the asteroids tight, the ones he could predict in their movement. He was hoping for one of the starfighters to miscalculate their trajectory and slam into an asteroid, but at the moment, the starfighter pilots seemed accomplished. As such, he was going to have to be patient and let the Force guide him through this. He knew that without the Force, he never would have attempted this. The danger in this field was quite real. Ayasha’s voice brought him out of his reverie,

“Am I going for the red one again?”

Without hesitation, the twi’lek responded, “Yes, the red ones!”

Pushing down on the control stick, the Apogee barrel-rolled downwards, stopped the rotation and straightened back up. Vu’thari was determined to make line of sight a nightmare for the starfighters that were attempting to disable their ship. So with every new asteroid cluster, the Apogee spiraled either up or down to lose any tracking radar that was being thrown in their direction. Vu’thari knew the starfighters were armed with concussion missiles, so it was a matter of time before they got a clear line of sight allowing lock-on to the Apogee, but the Jedi was determined to hold out as long as he could...

The ship rocked again as a small asteroid got past Vu'thari and slammed into the side. Alarms blared as the starboard side shields winked out for a moment before starting to recharge again...

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

“Well done, Ayasha! Stay focused...” Vu'thari came back over the headset. Ayasha nodded as she adjusted her weight in the seat and took the triggers in her hands. She cleared her throat and shook the nerves from her head. With several slow, deep breaths, the padawan focused on the Force all around her and within her. The connection the woman now felt to the all powerful, guiding Force was so natural and nearly instantaneous.

Just as the padawan prepared to take on the next fighter, she felt the Apogee bank hard to the left as it snaked its way through the asteroid field. Ayasha, though slightly shaken by the maneuver, had set her mind on one thing: taking down the next fighter that was pursuing them. Vu'thari confirmed that the woman's next target would be the second RX/3. “I'm on it!” the woman yelled through the com with a confident grin on her face.

Suddenly the Jedi Master sent the Apogee into a barrel roll. As the craft dove downwards in a spinning motion, Ayasha gripped the trigger controls tightly. She maintained her confidence in Vu'thari's abilities as a pilot...though her stomach seemed to have swapped places with her heart. Not a moment too soon, the craft slowed its roll and evened out. It was obvious that the twi'lek was trying to make their flight pattern nearly impossible to follow, and he was doing an admirable job of the task.

Ayasha shifted in her seat, finding her balance that slipped away during the evasive motions. She began searching for her next target when suddenly the Apogee rocked from the impact of a small asteroid that slipped past Vu'thari. Alarms began to blare and lights flashed as the side shields flickered and then cut out before they began to charge again. The woman's hands came up to the headset that was now hanging precariously from her head. She straightened it and moved the mic closer to her lips before quickly returning her hands to the triggers.

With a slow, deep inhale and a quick breath out, Ayasha was prepared to take on the next challenge...she hoped. The padawan sat quietly for several seconds as her eyes moved around the turret compartment, waiting for the next jolt or evasive move. The Force was strong in the little room and the woman knew it was finally the right moment to act. Her eyes searched the darkness behind the Apogee and she caught a glimpse of the fighter and clenched the triggers without a second thought.

Just as before, several bolts pummeled the craft and it burst into a bright flash of sparks and debris. Ayasha cheered loudly and threw both of her fists into the air above her head. As she did, a large chunk from the pulverized fighter slammed into one of the RX/4's, lowering its deflector shields. “I got him, Vu'thari! I got him! I think one of the others was hit too!” she shouted to the Jedi at the front of the ship.

Ayasha settled back into her seat, remembering the twi'lek's words. It was important, especially at this moment, for her to focus. Nothing would change their fate today like a wandering mind or a bout of confidence gone awry. The young woman closed her eyes and felt herself in the Force. She reached out and felt the layout of the ship. She focused on Vu'thari's presence. She reached outside of the craft and could see with her mind's eye the ships pursuing them. The padawan was grounded and fully prepared for whatever came at them next.

“Okay, Vu'thari...am I on to the green ones now? What makes these different? You said the red ones don't have shields...so these must...” Ayasha questioned the Jedi Master via the com. Her mind was clear, though a few thoughts began to seek entry. She felt worry clawing at her heart, trying to find its way back in, but the young woman was not having it. She pushed the anxiety away and focused on the scene unfolding outside of the Apogee. She focused on the silence as she waited to hear the voice of her Master. They would get through this together...she had to keep believing that.


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

“I got him, Vu'thari! I got him! I think one of the others was hit too!”

Completely wrapped up in piloting, he almost didn’t hear his padawan. A brief sense of relief fell over the twi’lek. He didn’t know if the Force was flowing strongly through his padawan, those pilots were more worried about asteroids than cannon bolts, or they were really lucky—in truth, the Jedi suspected it was a healthy mix of all of those things. Vu’thari responded, “Well done! Keep it up, Ayasha.”

At this point, the Apogee was nearing the middle of the asteroid field. There was not deciding ‘this is a bad idea, we better get out now’ at this point—they were well into the point of no return. This time, the Apogee responded the Jedi’s controls, barrel rolling through two asteroids to ensure the wings weren’t clipped. The profile of the Parallax was sleek and long, so this had to be taken into consideration with every jink, every juke, every subtle movement of the Apogee.

WHAM!

Another asteroid slammed into the top and front of the Apogee. The shields winked out momentarily and began charging back up. Vu’thari was silently kicking himself for “thinking too much”.

This is not a circuit board examination—don’t treat it like one. Feel the Force and let go…and pull your weight, Vu’thari…

Another deep breathe followed. He could feel his limbs relax and his heartrate go back down again. He managed a meek, "Sorry."

“Okay, Vu'thari...am I on to the green ones now…”

While he heard the rest of her words, he just answered what he could with brevity, “The green. Focus on one at a time.”

While he worried about the galleon beating him to the other side, it was a problem to consider once they were out of this mess. Vu’thari looked at all the asteroids, shifting, spinning, rotating while nearly piloting the Apogee at a tremendous sublight speed.

And what a mess it is…

@Wolf

 

[Ayasha Waya]

The ship continued to dive and weave its way through the asteroid field. The giant menacing rocks whizzed by the Apogee, threatening its integrity as each on passed. The padawan took a moment to close her eyes and breathe deeply. It was these short moments of meditation that seemed to be keeping her grounded and focused on the task at hand.

“Well done! Keep it up, Ayasha!” Vu'thari responded to the woman's cheers of success. Ayasha grinned and tightened her grip upon the trigger controls as she allowed the coursing river of the Force to wash over her, renewing her heart and mind.

With every twist and turn of the craft, the young woman waited for the moment where she would unleash her attack upon the pursuing fighter that had been hit by the debris from the RX/3 that had just been annihilated only moments before. Right when she thought that the opportunity had arrived, the Apogee was slammed hard and violently shoved from the impact with a hunk of space rock.

“Hold on!” Ayasha yelled to herself as she was jarred about inside of the little room that housed the turret. The padawan adjusted the headset once again as it had been shaken loose and slid down her neck, coming to rest just below her ears. Her hands were shaking but not for nerves. The woman's entire body was unable to catch a break from the rocking sensation that continued as the Apogee dove and wove and was pummeled.

Silence followed the hit and Ayasha sat quietly for several long moments as she gathered her thoughts. She could not afford to allow herself to be rocked by this, not now. She and Vu'thari had made it this far and if his resolve to see it through to completion was as strong as hers, there was no way that they wouldn't make it out alive.

“The green. Focus on one at a time,” the Jedi Master's delayed response reached her ears in somber tones. Even from the far side of the craft, the woman could feel the storm of emotions that the twi'lek was battling. She wished that she could have been beside him to help calm his heart. Each of them were facing tests as individuals it seemed, and those separate experiences culminated into a joint effort. “Your flying is amazing, Vu'thari...” Ayasha relayed to the Jedi Master via the com. “I trust you,” she added with a reassuring smile she only hoped he could feel accompany her words.

The padawan shifted in her seat and fixed her posture as she readied herself for the next attack. Her eyes closed as she felt the trigger controls at each hand. She found peace at her center and embraced that with every fiber of her being. With a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, the woman's eyes shot open and she locked her gaze upon the RX/4 which had suffered the loss of its shields.

Ayasha squeezed the triggers and shots poured out of the cannon before slamming into the fighter. The ship caught fire and then exploded with a shower of sparks and debris as the others had before it. The padawan could hardly believe how well this was going. Her efforts had met success each time. She only wished that Vu'thari had been able to see what was happening, but he had his own giants to face down.

“I got him! One more green one left!” the woman relayed to the Jedi Master. Ayasha was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and she hoped that they would be done with this harrowing incident sooner rather than later.

@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

“Your flying is amazing, Vu'thari...I trust you,”

Vu’thari was quite sure there were over 15 different alarms going off in the cockpit of the Apogee. Looking down, he wasn’t sure what half of the indicators were communicating, but some were fairly clear—shield generator stress, structural integrity, hydraulic leak…

Maybe she shouldn’t trust me—I fly like a wingless bird…

Another asteroid obstruction evoked another climb of the nose cresting over the top, narrowly avoiding an asteroid that cut across from the other direction. While Vu’thari had not run into major issues, the ship was getting pummeled from the smaller asteroids. Almost all quadrants of the Apogee’s shields were all under 50%. Another light starting blinking, accompanied by yet another blaring alarm.

“Thanks, we are almost through!”

The Jedi Master tried his best to believe those words with all his heart, but fell a bit short. But he did not want to say that to her—he promised transparency…

“But I am struggling up here…”

She could sense the twi’lek’s confidence eroding, but he still seemed fairly calm in the grand scheme of things. A yank of the control stick sent the Apogee, banking hard to Port and then swung back on track. But there was a sliver of hope that found its way to the Jedi—they truly were almost out of the asteroid field…

“I got him! One more green one left!”

His confidence surged a bit more. Although he felt he was not doing his part, his Padawan was manning that turret like she had been there all her life. Again, a moment of proudness flooded the twi’lek. Especially feeling her confidence soaring at the moment…

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

Alarms continued to blare through the Apogee. Just when Ayasha was certain that the pounding in her head was caused by the nearly constant jarring and jolting of the craft, she was reminded of the warnings that blasted without an intermission. There were indicators flashing on the controls in front of the young woman, but she did not understand what any of them meant. In fact, the language on the consul was one she did not recognize.

“Thanks, we are almost through!” Vu'thari replied to Ayasha's encouragement. She could hear the uncertainty in his voice though. Her brows furrowed in concern as she reached out and felt the turmoil nearly swallowing the twi'lek whole. “But I am struggling up here...” he added as his confidence went right out the viewport.

Ayasha's heart was torn as she focused on her task: eliminating the ships that pursued them. She knew that was what Vu'thari needed her to do, but she couldn't help wonder if there was a way she could help him too.

The padawan cleared her throat and pushed her emotions down. She could not allow her feelings for Vu'thari cloud her judgement. The best thing she could do to help both of them right now would be to focus on the Force. “I'm right here...hold on!” the young woman shouted into the mic. She had promised the Jedi Master during their time on Anoat that she would always be there for him and this was no different.

Ayasha knew that she had to think of a plan quickly. Her eyes closed and she drew in a deep breath while focusing on the Force and searching for answers within. As she exhaled, the answer came to her. A somber look appeared upon the woman's face as she settled into her seat and searched the darkness for the remaining RX/4.

“There you are...” she muttered to herself while feeling the triggers in her hands. The Force nearly pulsed within her chest as she submitted to its will, waiting for the perfect moment to launch her attack. Just then, she felt it. Something deep inside of her knew that this was it. Without hesitation, the feeling shot down her arms and into her hands. She squeezed the triggers unleashing a barrage of fire from the cannon.

Several shots slammed into an asteroid that would have surely made contact with the Apogee but instead, it shattered into a plethora of pieces, some of which pummeled the fighter that had been the target of the padawan's attack.

“YEAH!” Ayasha yelled again, her fists flying into the air over her head. Her confidence was soaring and she prayed that there would be a residual effect on Vu'thari. “We're going to do this!” the padawan shouted with excitement pouring from her voice.


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

“YEAH! We're going to do this!”

If I don’t kill us both first…

The twi’lek didn’t want to look down at the indicator lights, but he was quite sure five or more lights had begun flashing. While the Jedi had bobbed and weaved within the asteroid field, avoiding most of the laser cannon fire from the pirates, the asteroids were getting more and more dangerous. Another alarm started blaring, looking down, there was a fire by the hyperdrive.

“SawDip, go see to that hyperdrive…and put the fire out!”

Smoke could be smelled at this point. In addition, the sublight drives were starting to seem “sluggish”.

Relax, Vu’thari…trust Ayasha—and trust yourself. Believe in the Force. Know that—

BLAM!

An asteroid sideswiped the Apogee, sheering off one of the canard wings in the front.

“Kriff! Sorry!”

Vu’thari now felt the shift in his handling of the ship as the responsiveness to banking right was now severely diminished, which meant the twi’lek was now taking every opportunity to turn to port and turning to starboard when he had small windows of space between asteroids. He hoped that SawDip would be able to protect the hyperdrive, because if that became non-functional, they would be just beginning their issues…

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

Just when Ayasha was sure that the worst of their problems were literally behind them, she heard Vu'thari yell for SawDip to put a fire out by the hyperdrive. “There's a fire by the hyperdrive?!” the padawan yelled through the headset. She wanted to abandon the turret, climb the ladder and fix everything that was going wrong...but she was only one person.

Ayasha drew in a deep breath and pushed the worry aside. She could not afford to let any ounce of negativity worm its way into her mind. “Trust the Force...” the padawan spoke in gentle tones to her Master. She could only fathom the amount of stress on his shoulders at the moment. She was sure that he had performed far better in that position than she ever would have...or anyone else for that matter.

Suddenly the moment was interrupted when an asteroid sideswiped the Apogee and slammed into the craft. The violent jolt nearly ripped Ayasha out of her seat, harness and all. She grasped the X across her chest and coughed through the pain. “Kriff! Sorry!” Vu'thari yelled just moments after the impact.

The ringing in Ayasha's head was beginning to make her sick. She leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes, wondering why these kinds of things had to happen. How could something like this have been the will of the Force? Was it chance? The woman sighed and rubbed her hands together before placing them over her eyes for a long moment.

“Please don't let us die...” she whispered a simple prayer. It was the first time during this ordeal that Ayasha had acknowledged out loud that death was a true possibility. The idea of coming so far only to be taken out by a giant space rock caused her spirit to sink. The young woman had told herself that she was made for more since she could speak. Could this have been it?

Suddenly the padawan remembered that she still had a job to do. There was one more RX/4 Starfighter closing in on the Apogee and she had to take it out. The woman was not aware of the fact that her previous shot on the wayward asteroid had catapulted debris in the direction of the craft which had taken out its shield. She had thought that the fighter had been struck but to what degree, she was unsure.

“Okay, Vu'thari...I've got this...” Ayasha said quietly into the mic as she shifted in her seat and gripped the triggers in each hand. Within seconds she caught sight of the fighter and with a swift squeeze, the cannon unleashed a firestorm onto the fighter. Without a shield, the craft fell to the blast and ignited in a shower of debris and sparks.

“GOT HIM!” the padawan yelled as a renewed sense of pride welled up within her. “We did it!” she shouted to the Jedi Master, hoping that he would be encouraged by her success. How she wished they could have traded places. She was certain that her job was far easier than piloting the Apogee through the dangerous field of asteroids of every shape and size. “We're almost out! This is it!” she continued with the rallying words, hoping to incite a renewed sense of hope in the twi'lek.


@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

The Apogee
Hyperspace - Border of Outer Rim and Mid Rim
Somewhere Close to Nelvaan

“We're almost out! This is it!”

Maybe they would survive this experience. She was right. Finally, the Apogee spiraled out of the asteroid field.

“Finally!”

But the celebration was short lived as laser cannon fire began lighting up the area around them. The galleon had picked its way around the entire field. Fortunately, the ship was much slower than the Apogee, else it could have picked the exploration ship apart. As it stood now, it was not on top of them, but still in range of its turrets at long range. If the ship had been closer to the Apogee, Vu’thari was afraid what could have happened if it brought its tractor beam to bear or if it had been modified with missiles. Not wanting to try his luck banking to starboard, the twi’lek banked to port and began putting distance between it and the galleon.

Vu’thari wanted no part of the heavily armed capital ship run by pirates. The Apogee was no combat vessel. He switched on the hyperdrive, but nothing happened.

Please no...

Leaving the ship in autopilot as it stretched the distance between the two ships, Vu’thari quickly made his way down to the hyperdrive in the engine room where SawDip looked over and gave a thumbs up. The white mist from the fire extinguisher was still heavy in the room, along with the smell of burnt electronics.

“Did you fix it?”

The droid rattled off enough statistics to make the twi’lek’s head spin. Finally, Vu’thari asked, “Is that a yes?”

After cocking its head sideways in confusion, it then nodded. Rolling his eyes, but breathing a sigh of relief, the Jedi made his way back up to the cockpit and over his headset, he told his Padawan, “You saved us back there. I am proud of you. Once again, I asked a lot of you and you shined. If it wouldn’t have been for your sharp shooting on that turret, we would not be having this conversation. My poor piloting almost got us killed.”

At this point, the twi’lek settled back in the pilot’s chair and checked his radar once again. The distance between the Apogee and the Galleon was substantial at this point and while the galleon still pursued, its turret fire had stopped due to the range.

@Wolf
OOC/Dice Thread

 

[Ayasha Waya]

The jarring and jolting motions that had become the norm aboard the Apogee suddenly ceased. Everything became eerily still and quiet as the craft spiraled out of the asteroid field. “Finally!” Vu'thari's voice broke through the silence. Ayasha leaned forward as her eyes scanned the space that was no longer inhabited by innumerable space rocks. She was optimistically cautions, unable to shake the feeling that they were not in the clear just yet.

Ayasha opened her mouth with every intention of asking Vu'thari if he could see anything when without warning a shower of laser fire erupted around them. The padawan's arms instinctually shot up and blocked her face as the surprise attack ensued. The twi'lek at the controls was quick to react as he banked to port and began moving the Apogee out of the Galleon's range.

The young woman lowered her arms and cleared her throat as she shifted in her seat. Her hands fell to rest upon the triggers as before and she resumed scanning the inky sky for anything deserving of cannon fire. “Get us out of here!” Ayasha yelled to Vu'thari, but there was no answer. She reached out in the Force to feel the twi'lek's presence and realized that the Jedi Master was already in the engine room, likely checking the status of the hyperdrive. “Please restore the hyperdrive...” Ayasha's eyes shut tightly as she prayed quietly.

Just then, Vu'thari's voice was in the woman's ears as if he were standing beside her. “You saved us back there. I am proud of you,” he began. Ayasha was almost certain that she could hear the Jedi Master smiling. Her eyes fell to her lap for a moment as she inhaled deeply and felt her tense muscles relax all at once. Vu'thari spoke of the heavy expectations he had placed upon her and concluded with the fact that she shined under the pressure. “If it would have been for your sharp shooting on that turret, we would not be having this conversation. My poor piloting almost got us killed.” The young woman shook her head as she disagreed with him. “I thought you were brilliant, considering the circumstances,” she added in a gentle tone.

Ayasha knew Vu'thari's heart and she could only imagine how much he was blaming himself for their most recent misadventure. “We're alive because we worked together. I could not have done anything without you flying this thing!” Ayasha knew that she was right and she hoped that the twi'lek could find the truth in her words. “We trusted each other and we beat the odds,” she concluded with a confident smile she hoped he could hear.

The turret fire from the Galleon had ceased, but Ayasha shifted her thoughts to the hyperdrive that had suffered some kind of damage. She was unaware of the magnitude of the fire, only that there had been one. “What's the story with the hyperdrive? I imagine we should be getting out of here sooner rather than later,” the padawan spoke with a sense of urgency. “I think we have found enough trouble to get into for one day,” she spoke through a laugh.

THE END​

@Mithias