Problem with Serenity
by Kris "Target" Chester
"We can't stop Judgement Day, we just have to survive it…" The elder Chester said.
"Yes father," Kris responded.
And where is he now? The adult Kris "Target" Chester thought as he checked his datapad. Judgement Day came and he didn't make it. A resounding thump nearby made the newly promoted Lieutenant look up from his typing work. Morning Star's Chief Mechanic Pappy had dropped his trusty hydrospanner. The tool bounced along the deck, generating a noteworthy commotion before stopping less than a meter away from the grizzled mechanic.
"Sorry Kris, just I've been without sleep for so long." The mechanic apologized scooping up the trusty tool in one hand and smearing his eyes with black grease as his other hand rubbed under the large bags residing there.
"Yeah," the commander of Serenity repair excursion team 3 replied. "Do you want me to finish up? I forget sometimes how demanding this is on the rest of my team."
"I'm just happy I don't have your job. I'll take a few winks, wake me if you need me." Pappy replied, moving past Kris to one of the Gallofree Medium yard transports free bunks, the other currently serving as a resting area for Mike "Switch" Michadick.
After rubbing sleep out of his own eyes, Target drank down his last bit of caff rations then moved over to peer at the navigation counsel. The gallofree, named Serenity had presumably belonged to a group of smugglers before being disabled, the freighter had requested help of the Alliance, claiming to be carrying a valuable supply of bacta. When Target's team arrived to assist in repairing the battered freighter, the previous two repair teams, the ships original crew and the bacta were all missing despite the last report that stated all was well. This unnerved Target and the rest of his four-member team.
A knock on the command pod door prompted Target to stand up from his counsel and investigate the sound. A quick look through the porthole confirmed it was Jeni "Angel" Courtner. Kris unbolted the hatchway and popped open the sturdy door
"Is that a lekku, or are you happy to see me?" the only non-male member of the repair team asked with a sarcastic tone.
"I never thought I was half Twi'lek." Target responded with his dryer sense of humor. "So, any news on the engines?"
"Yeah, they're scrubbed sir." Jeni reported.
"Great, can this day get any worse." Target moaned.
"Actually it's day two." Angel corrected, then with more serious intentions moved over to one of the cargo crates. "Real food!" she cried out with glee.
"Uh, a little bit, not much, after that's gone we're stuck with rations, again." The mission commander said the last part with great forlorn in his voice.
Angel ignored Kris' statement, drawing out an "Imperial-way" candy bar, ripping off one end and taking a deep bite. "Um . . .. Great taste! Less filling! Just the way I like it!"
"Well first officer, any suggestions for getting us back to the Star?" Target asked changing subjects back to the task at hand.
"Well with Endeavor gone I don't see how we can move to them. We have to make them come to us." Kris sighed at the mention of there lost shuttle, the Endeavor had been taken from them early on in the mission, much like the missing repair teams, they had no idea what had occurred.
Angel abruptly snapped her fingers, "Kris we could simply hail the Morning Star."
"Wouldn't work without giving the Star's position to Imperial forces." Target replied bleakness creeping into his voice.
Angel shivered slightly bringing her arms up to rub her shoulders. "Well I don't want to be on this ghost ship any longer than I have to. Do you have any suggestions, sir?" The woman said the last part with a sarcastic tone, while Kris outranked her he was younger by far.
"No, frankly I don't." The Lieutenant said with a sigh.
"Now if you don't mind I'm going to get some shut eye." Jeni declared rubbing her eyes.
After Angel went to bed in the comfortable Captain's chair Target picked up Pappy's hydrospanner, setting back to work on fixing Serenity's sensor station. As the commander worked he considered their position and ways to escape it.
Several hours passed before Switch awoke to take over watch duty. Kris eyed his wrist chrono as he turned to face the young Michadick brother. "Well its o-four-hundred now, no point in waiting any longer." A look of forlorn crossed Switch's face at this news and his commander's spirit. "Target, I just woke up!" he declared.
"Your point being?" Target asked with sarcasm dripping. "I need you to find a way to make this." A long fingered hand snatched up the typical Alliance excursion teams hand held distress beacon, an odd cylinder object no bigger than a human's forearm. "Reach outside of the system." The Lieutenant finished smugness etched onto his features.
"Sir, it can't be done." Switch stated crossing his hands over the front of his flight jacket. "Serenity doesn't have the sort of communication equipment we need."
"Are you sure about that?" Kris queried.
"Well no, Serenity isn't your typical gallorfree, having internal life-support in the cargo bays and all but still…"
"You have your orders officer. Only that device has the Alliance coded channels that we need, well with Endeavor gone." Target countered.
"But, sir…"
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Switch grumbled to his enthusiastic commander, who remained hovering over the communication officer's shoulder.
"Just find the way that works!" Target commanded.
"Ever tried putting a square peg in a round hole?" Switch asked suddenly changing topics.
"Well…no, that's silly squares and circles don't fit in one another."
"Well sure that's what this is like, putting a square peg in a round hole."
"That's not encouraging officer." Target notified treading over to see what Angel was up to. The few moments before the first officer of RST 3 noticed Kris she was muttering. "I know, let Vape design the new Squadron uniform!"
"What's that Jeni?" Kris asked her.
"Oh! Nothing sir, was just thinking how you'd look good in purple, orange, green, red, all of the above."
"That's quite enough, I get the picture." Target confirmed walking over to Pappy who immediately thrust both arms in the air and declared, "I loved the smell of Palpie's armpits in the morning…it smelt like victory!"
At this comment Kris raised an eyebrow.
"Thought you'd appreciate a little team sprit, that's all." Pappy explained going back to his usual lower tone.
"Yes, but its uncharacteristic for you!" The Ralltiirian responded.
"Fine then," Pappy said stroking his chin in thought, smearing blackish oil across his unshaven face. "How about, don't break this damn ship…again."
"So now you're blaming me for the original problem?" The commander asked.
With a shrug Pappy answered, "Sure, why not."
With a grin Target went back to pestering Switch who was doing the most important of the three jobs.
Abruptly Serenity's warning sirens resounded into the cargo hold. Kris hurried up to the command pod, Angel and Pappy followed both on his heels.
At the sight on the newly repaired sensor station all three just stared, dumbfounded. An Imperial fleet had just jumped into their vicinity.
"That's just our luck." Target muttered.
"You want it going where?" Angel asked a second time, still not believing Target's order.
"You heard me, maneuver with the thrusters, and act like we want to intercept the imperials." Kris repeated once more.
"Sir, they'll capture us, and torture us and…I think you've taken a hit over the head or something!"
"Pappy, grab anything that could trace us to the Alliance, stow it in a spare cargo crate or burn it. Angel, find some of the extra crew uniforms, we're going to pretend to be cargo haulers." Kris ordered ignoring Angel's protests.
"Fo shizzle, neptizzle." Pappy replied moving off to find their Alliance issued gear.
"I still think Serenity's ghost is possessing you or something!" anger came into Angel's voice, not liking the situation one bit.
"Tatooine smells good after snow." Was Target's response as he started removing his blaster, comlink and other Alliance issued materials.
"Excuse me sir?" Angel likewise started to take off anything military in nature.
"We're out of the freezer into the fire. Kind of a cliché but changed to reflect our circumstances."
"Ah, of course." Angel said dubiously handing over her blaster, and other nonessential gear. Pappy came back to take more of the extra goods while Angel busied herself pulling out uniforms that fit the repair team. The woman threw Target and Pappy one each, leaving a third for Switch and taking the forth with her into the fresher station.
With a shrug Pappy started pulling on the olive coveralls. Target did likewise, leaving his Alliance issued jumpsuit underneath, and bringing his green collar up to hid the tell tale signs of orange.
The imperials hailed the disabled vessel a few moments later, Target quickly answered the hail and asked for their immediate assistance in repairing their vessel. The Captain of the Imperial class Star destroyer Undertaker gawked at Serenity's new Captain. "You want us to board you?"
"Yes, immediately we are in need of dire assistance." Target repeated.
"Very well, Serenity hold on, await boarding." The imperial officer informed Target, the man cutting off his comm unit with an expression of astonishment. A few moments later a lambda class shuttle had docked with the gallofree transport.
The trio quickly moved down the stairs, Target threw Switch the extra uniform, the young Michadick started dressing at top speed. The newly promoted Captain straightened his hair and uniform before opening their docking door.
As the port hissed open Target heard a white armored troop complaining. "You know this Stormtrooper armor just does nothing for me!" Between the inexperienced trooper seeing Target and the man behind him hitting him with the butt of his rifle he straightened up, acting more military. Target threw a clumsy salute as if he was unaccustomed to military gestures. "Welcome aboard Serenity, I'm Captain Chester…"
"We can't stop Judgement Day, we just have to survive it…"