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:: An ongoing episodic story of fan-fic set after Episode VI Return of the Jedi, and inspired by George Lucas' historical draft concepts ::
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| October 2024 |
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VE Episode XI : Alana Skywalker meets the droidai !
31st October 2024 |
| As I did with the progression of the Virtual Edition Episode X, I will post below sections of the prose for Episode XI as I draft it.... |
The access hatch for the mining chamber slid open, and the Ugnaught boss, Swin Serrad, obediently led the party of Pan-Alliance investigators inside. As the scientists and their aides and the two Jedi fanned out, a pudgy dark green Gammorrean glanced up in surprise, and gave out an involuntary yelp. His companion, a red and brown hued Rodian had been busily preoccupied over some kit with his back to the door, spun around at the noise. A bare-chested sweating Weequay, with an equally sweaty Ugnaught at his hip, remained intently focused on the drill they were operating. The Ugnaught that had arrived with Serrad and the others trotted over to these two, and tapped his fellow Uggie on the shoulder. The perspiring Ug shot a riled glance over his shoulder, and then his little piggy eyes opened wide, as did his small snout. The Weeq, realising his crew-mate was distracted from the job at hand, also turned his head to regard the nuisance, and then flicked a switch on the industrial drill, and its low hum fell to silence. The miners immediately recognised the insignia of the PA on the newcomers’ uniforms.
“Whassup, Boss ?” drawled the Weeq. “Ya givin’ a tour ?”
Serrad looked blankly at his employee.
Before Doctor Walcott could announce the party, the reptilian Jedi, Nayton, hissed and whispered half-words, and Serrad’s droid helpfully piped up.
“We would like to ask you some questions about your mining work.”
The Ugnaught boss snorted and squawked.
“They got questions they wanna ask...” He shrugged. It was no big deal.
Hearing this, the Rodian cocked his head to one side and his scaly forehead furrowed quizzically.
Sihram stepped forward into the centre of the chamber. She raised both her hands slightly, fingers outstretched, and spoke to all the workers.
“You’re drawing about fifty gallons a week. How deep is the seam do you think ?”
The Gamorrean snorted and squealed, keen to help.
“My surveying kit suggests it goes at least five klicks deep,” translated the accompanying droid.
“And is it difficult to draw out with this kit here ?” she asked, looking around at the assorted mining equipment strewn about.
The Weequay jerked his chin up.
“Yeah, we keep sayin’ to Serrad that if they want more, he’ll have to get us bigger and better kit,” he growled in frustration.
“They ?” prompted Sihram. “Do you know who your customer is ?”
The Weeq gave a sideways look towards the Rodian, and both sniggered.
Nayton hissed sharply.
“Who ?” demanded the droid.
The Rodian shuffled forward a step as if tugged on a string, and his long snout quivered as he spoke. The droid provided his answer.
“Imperials ! At least we think it is. They were disguised in civs. But we heard them say Tagge wanted more.”
“And they left behind two of those things !” growled the Weeq, pointing at a skeletal bipedal droid, over two metres tall, immobile and tucked away against the wall to one side.
At that, the tall droid jerked into motion, a line of three red lights glowing into life on a plain ovoid visage. It bore a wrap-around chest plate and a similar belly plate, partly revealing a smooth core cylinder where a spine would be. Various armature could just be seen splaying out from the core to the protective plates and the limbs. The belly and chest plates separated slightly as the droid stood.
The Jedi spell was broken.
The Weeq shouted out, “Look out ! Their droidai is live ! It’ll go bad for us now...”
As the two Jedi whirled about to face this new danger, the robot extended its ovoid head forward and raised its two clawed arms, the pincer hands showing three digits ; these split again, presenting another two arms, above the first two, one ending in a T-shape, the other ending in a nozzle.
It took two steps forward, clumpy box feet placed a span apart, knee joints bending at the ready.
“Well, well, well !”
Alana Skywalker’s voice accompanied her arrival as she and her three other Jedi appeared from the recessed cave. She held her lightsabre hilt firmly in her right hand, and presented the group with a bright smile. Her face, golden hair, and light brown over-robe were smudged from crawling through the cave network. Her companions fanned out behind her, their unlit swords held ready at the hip.
“What do we have here ? Imperials, Tagges, and... droidai ?”
She identified the chief miner, and turned her attention to Boss Serrad.
“Instruct the droid to stand down,” she commanded.
Without a word of protest, the Ugnaught turned to the droid and ordered it to return to its place at the wall and to power down.
The droid did not move.
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| Nathaniel Reed, 31st October 2024 |
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