Star Forge - 39 (Patreon)

I watched the star chart as our location updated. We were quickly approaching the intersection of the Hydian Way and the Corellian Run. If we kept our current course we would be able to head Core-ward to reach Coruscant. That would take us on the Corellian Run but if we stayed on the Hydian Way it would point us toward Mandalore. Another option was to swap over to the Corellian Run heading Galactic South-East toward Tatooine and, more importantly, Kamino. This would take us in the complete opposite direction to Coruscant. It made sense to head toward Tatooine and Kamino now rather than making an entirely different trip that felt wasteful.

Traveling through the Warehouse would work. I could step through to Tatooine with Ahsoka then hop over to Kamino to pick up her brothers. The one problem with the plan was Ventress. Sure, she was energetic and frequently enjoyed my company, but she wasn't part of my group. She was currently passed out on my bed. There wasn't an option for whatever the Star Wars equivalent of condoms. Meaning that it was incredibly likely that she was already pregnant. We had spent the rest of the night and the next day in her bunk before moving to mine. It wasn't planned, but I wasn't upset about it.

I slipped on my helmet, "Carrie, can you do a medical scan?"

"Sure, Captain," Carrie replied. "Are you feeling ill?"

I chuckled, "No, I need to see if Asajj has a passenger."

"Sorry, Captain," Carrie said. "It's too early to tell."

I sighed as I took off my helmet. My train of thought was interrupted by the door notification. The droids weren't smart enough to deviate from their jobs. I could replace or integrate the next generation of upgraded units once I had enough of them. The clones could potentially staff the ship depending on how old they were. There would definitely be enough of them. I guess it made sense that I would share my secret with the girl that was potentially carrying my offspring.

Ahsoka was waiting for me on the other side of the door.

"Hey, Red," She crossed her arms and shook her head. "Training the new girl?"

I looked over my shoulder at the nude for of Asajj spread out across the bed. Her bare back was exposed with only one leg covered by the blanket.

"Recruiting," I replied with a wink.

She rolled her eyes, "Are you going to come out now? I would like to know your plans."

"I want to get your brothers from Kamino," I answered. "I'm not going to let them vanish into the throng. You need to be there to pick them out."

Her eyes lit up. She almost hugged me but stopped short.

"You smell," Ahsoka scrunched her nose.

I laughed, "I'll get cleaned up and meet you in the mess hall."

"Are you going to wake up your new apprentice?" She asked.

I rolled my eyes, "She's not my apprentice, I'm not a Jedi. If she wants, she can join the crew." I paused. "She's awake. I'll ask her."

Asajj sat up as I turned around.

"Do you want the full tour?" I asked. "You're on the crew for good if you agree."

She looked from me to Ahsoka letting the silence stretch. Her nakedness was an unspoken jab at the girl in the hallway as well.

Asajj nodded, "Do I need to get dressed?"

"Yes," I chuckled.

Asajj stood and strutted out of my quarters. She didn't pause as she walked nude down the hallway to her bunk. Ahsoka shook her head.

"What door are you going to use?" She asked.

I motioned to the door beside mine. It led to a storage closet but would fit my needs just fine. I shifted my attention to the interior of my room. My armor and underlayer were scattered across the floor. It made me realize that I was still completely nude. No doubt there were quite a few hickeys and scratch marks all over my body.

"I'm going to get clean," I said. "Are you ok to wait?"

Ahsoka nodded, "I'll just clean my sabers again."

"Cleanliness is next to godliness," I teased as I stepped into the fresher.

Showers in Star Wars weren't anything special. The Captain's Quarters had a full bathroom instead of a stall or open shower area for a squad of crew. Bathing was a multi-step process. Water pressure and water use were important to conserve. It wasn't as big of a deal with only three people on the ship, but it was good to get into the practice. I sat on a stool, scrubbed myself down with soap, then rinsed off. Unfortunately, a tub of water wasn't in the cards. I could have spent more time under the hot water, but I didn't want to waste any more time.

I got out of the fresher and got dressed in my armor without preamble. There were a couple of maintenance droids cleaning my room when I finished. Ahsoka was waiting in the hallway outside my quarters.

"It smelled," Ahsoka said without waiting for a question. "Ventress isn't back yet." She paused. "Are you sure about her? This is Ventress we're talking about. You know what she becomes."

I held up a hand, "That wasn't her. Just like how there is a little Togruta in the Jedi Temple that isn't you."

Ahsoka froze for a moment. Her face scrunched in thought. She appeared to come to decision a moment before she stood at her full height and looked me in the eyes even through my helmet.

"I want to rescue her," Ahsoka stated.

I thought for a moment, "We're already heading to Coruscant."

"I know," She said without an ounce of doubt in her voice. "I've seen what the life of a Jedi can bring. She deserves better."

I bobbed my head in understanding, "You do realize you're swapping the Jedi for Mandalorians? We aren't exactly the safest place for a child to grow."

"Please," She rolled her eyes. "You guys can't help but adopt any child you. You'll melt like a puddle once you see cute little Ahsoka."

The sound of approaching footsteps caused their conversation to pause. Asajj, fully dressed and ready for a mission, came to a stop standing between the two.

"This is your last chance," I told Asajj. "You can't leave once I show you this."

Asajj gave me a blank stare, "Where are we going?"

"In here," I stepped back into the closet that had been connected to the warehouse.

Asajj sent a confused look toward Ahsoka only to find the other girl had already followed. She shook her head and followed them.

"Is this a ploy to get us both into bed?" Asajj asked. "It's cramped, but I'm not opposed." She looked Ahsoka up and down. "Are you a demon in the bedroom as well?"

Her teasing froze as she realized the room wasn't as small as she thought. She slowly took in the mind-bending expanse of the Warehouse with a classic mansion on one side and a set of large, ancient stone doors that led to the forge. Not to mention the droid factory currently stripping a set of robots from Fallout and methodically documenting each. A floating hologram of the various parts, as well as those of the droids I already had, rapidly assemble into multiple combinations before it found one that was the most efficient. Viable models were then virtually constructed, upgraded, and streamlined to integrate the best components.

"What…" Asajj turned in a slow circle. "What is this?"

I closed the door once she was inside, "This is my secret. A nexus that allows me to travel across the galaxy to almost anywhere I have been before. All I need to do is leave a connection."

She watched as I walked over to a row of free-standing doors. Each one was a different style matching the location. I stopped in front of the door to Tatooine.

"How do you handle the heat?" I asked as I opened it.

The sound of blaster fire washed over us once the door opened.

"It looks like we have the pleasure to get things settled," I drew my blaster as I stepped through.

I walked down the hallway toward the sounds of battle. The noises got louder the closer I got to the throne room. A group of people clutching blasters huddled behind a makeshift barrier. These were the people that weren't made for combat. Dancers, cooks, and palace staff. They turned at the sound of my boots on the stone. A flash of panic on their faces swapped to hope once they saw it was me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

A Twi'lek dressed in a fresh set of clothes put her back against the wall, "You're him! Lord Red!"

"Lord Red?" Ahsoka chuckled.

I waved her comment away, "Continue."

"The Hutts," The Twi'lek said. "They have rallied their forces and are attacking the Palace."

I tapped the side of my helmet, "Carrie, how many battle droids do we have ready at the moment?"

"Three hundred second generation B1s," Carrie replied. "The new droids are still in the design phase. I wouldn't suggest deploying the current number to the Palace. Their training for Close-Quarters Combat is lacking." She paused. "I, on the other hand, am perfectly fine with it."

I shook my head, "How many GECKs do we have?"

"Two upgraded and one basic," Carrie replied.

"Come on over," I told her. "Then we'll grab them for a test run."

"Roger, roger," Carrie said happily.

I turned my attention back to the Twi'lek, "Another of my companions will be here soon. Stay safe."

She nodded. I slipped through the gap of the barrier to continue my walk toward the throne room. The sound of blaster fire, cursing, and explosions increased the closer I got. A scene of chaos greeted me as I reached the fight. Krulot, the Krogan Mercenary, and his people were fighting beside my people. That was good, I had a soft spot for Krogans and was not looking forward to having to kill one.

Fate must have heard me. A wall to my left exploded a moment before a trio of Krogan burst through the smoke. The new position would have spelled the end of my people. They had managed to blast through the exterior wall as well as a few interior ones to get behind the fighting.

I dropped the first one with a cluster of blasts to the neck joint in their armor. The second one juked to the side only for a blue lightsaber to slice off an arm. Another followed a moment later to lop off the head. The third Krogan managed to use the chaos to charge me.

The impact lifted me off my feet. I grunted as the Krogan slammed me flat on the floor. On the plus side it did let me know that I had forgotten my jetpack. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. The slam was hard enough to be able to damage it.

I grabbed the Krogan's arms and pulled them away from my body. The mercenary struggled against my unexpected strength. I leaned my head back then hammered it forward. The sound of our helmets hitting was akin to a sledgehammer meeting ceramic. Thick spider-web cracks stretched outward from the point of impact. I did it again, this time shattering completely. One more of the headbutts ended the fight. Beskar versus bone was never a fair fight. The Krogan went limp. It would have been fine if they hadn't been on top of me. The deadweight of the Krogan felt much heavier than a moment ago.

The Actually Strong Perk came in clutch again as I pushed the dead alien off of me.

"What are those?" Ahsoka asked standing over one of the dead.

"Krogan," I answered. "This isn't your world."

A conflicted expression crossed her face before she settled back into a stoic one. She nodded. I snagged the weapon attached to the Krogan's belt. It was some sort of carbine meant for tight spaces. I checked the charge and the weight. Leaving a hole that led behind us was not a good idea.

"Ahsoka, Asajj," I ordered. "Stay here, make sure they can't use this."

"Why not collapse it?" Asajj asked.

"They'll just make a new one," I replied. "This gives them the illusion of an option. Instead, they find you two waiting to slice them into bits."

Asajj accepted the explanation. Ahsoka used the Force to shape some rubble into a bit of cover. She also scattered the smaller bits along the floor. I moved on as they prepared the area for defense. Thankfully, the passage led directly to the throne room.

I reached the end to find the thrones had been knocked over to provide cover. Multiple bodies in mismatched armor were scattered along the hall that led to the main door. The grate over the Rancor Pit was open just enough for someone to fall through. A seemingly discarded rug disguised the trap from a quick look. The happy Rancor sounds from below told me that it was successful.

My arrival drew enough attention from the attackers. Mandalorians always attract attention in a fight, it's one of the reasons we wear armor. I lifted the looted carbine to my shoulder and started firing. The blaster kicked like a bastard. Shots landed a good six inches apart at the closest. This wasn't a precision instrument; it was crowd control. One or two of my shots actually hit an attacker while most just made them anxious enough to get to cover.

"Red!" Beth called out as she saw me. "When did you here?"

I dropped the looted weapon, swapping back to the blasters I usually used, "Just now. What's going on?"

"A group of locals hired a bunch of mercs to try to kill us," Beth paused to send a burst toward the invaders. "We killed the leaders of their criminal organizations. That's usually a good thing."

"We probably killed their employers," I replied. "It would have been a lot smarter to talk."

"That's your problem, Red," Beth laughed. "You expect these guys to be smart."

"Where's Bo?" I asked.

"Living quarters," Beth replied. "She's got a squad with her to make sure our people are safe."

A Krogan merc tried to charge me. They leaped over the Rancor Pit without breaking stride. Blaster fire didn't had much effect. Either the armor was made from a special alloy, or the Krogan could take a lot of damage. I took in the situation and adjusted my aim low. My shots hit the Krogan in the thigh and knees. It stumbled, slowing its approach, but didn't stop.

I slipped out of the Krogan like a bullfighter. The managed to stay on their feet even after a taking a couple of shots and missing their target. Unfortunately for them, they were well within my reach. I jammed the barrel of my blaster into a joint of their armor and fired until they fell.

Something hard punched me on my shoulder, making me take a step to catch my balance. Pure Beskar was a wonderful thing. The impacts were greatly reduced, but I still felt them to a point. I swung one arm toward the merc without looking and fired. My HUD allowed me to see nearly 360 Degrees if I desired. It marked the shooter the moment they pulled the trigger. I looked at the fresh charred scuff on my armor.

What is the phrase? A knight in shining armor is one that has never tested their mettle. I could see having that on a poster when I was a kid.

My hands stayed in motion as I seemingly moved from one target to the next while not actually looking at them.

"How long has this been going on?" I called as I continued to shoot.

This was getting annoying. I held up my hand, creating a Force Barrier that halted the blaster bolts in the air as they hit. Beth stood from her cover. Another cluster of bolts joined the others on the barrier.

"You could do that the entire time?" Beth glared at me.

I nodded, "How long?"

"It's been two hours maybe," Beth replied. "Maybe less."

"Where are the commandos?" I asked. "There were two of them. They should be happy for a fight."

"They were training some of our people," Beth replied. "The last we heard they were in the lower levels. Our comms were jammed. I have no clue if they are still alive."

"Let's finish this and check," I stated.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Beth asked casually.

I shrugged. A flick of my wrist sent the cloud of frozen blaster bolts back toward the invaders. The closest were practically erased in the wave while those farther back were lucky enough to die to regular blaster fire. Those that were really unlucky found themselves unable to fight due to their weapons being destroyed or the lack of limbs.

"Is that it?" I asked.

A few defenders burst from their cover to charge the quiet line of invaders. The occasional blaster fire told me that the survivors wouldn't have to suffer for long.

+100 FP
Storm the Castle
+100 FP
It's a Palace NOT a Castle
+100 FP
Krogan? More like Kro-GONE
+200 FP
An apology for the previous joke
[Roll – Shop – Bank]

ROLL.

[Cost: 200 FP]
[Skill: Beastmaster]
[You possess a special bond with natural animals. Animals are naturally disinclined to attack you and even inclined to help you if they find you in danger. More than this you possess the ability to telepathically influence and communicate with animals. While their intelligence may make this somewhat difficult at times, you can encourage certain behaviors, discourage others, or plant suggestions. The range of this telepathy is limited, but you are able to form stronger bonds with certain animals through time and interaction which will increase the range of this telepathy the stronger the bond becomes and allow you to actively share senses with them seeing through their eyes, hearing through their ears, or even smelling through their noses. Some animals will be easier to form such bonds with than others, allowing you to quickly and deeply connect to them.]
[Purchase – Dismiss – Shop]
[Balance: 700 Forge Points]

PURCHASE.

Florentine was supposed to be loyal to me when she hatched. I wasn't going to turn this skill down when I was waiting for my own Deathclaw to hatch.

I pulled up a hologram of the map of the Palace on my omni-tool to show it to the others. Beth was beside me in a flash. She pointed to the location Bo was supposed to be as well as the two commandos. A path appeared on the map leading to each spot. The two points were in the same direction. Beth reloaded her gun and did a quick check to make sure she hadn't been hit. Adrenaline was scary.

"What brings you back, Red?" Beth asked.

"There's a planet I want to visit," I explained. "Tatooine is closer. This way the ship I was on is still on course to Coruscant and doesn't have to take a detour."

"Lazy bastard," Beth scoffed.

"I think you mean efficient lazy bastard," I countered. "Come on, let's go save a princess."