I shifted my wings a bit and relaxed on the stomach of my lower body, crossing my front legs as I watched the last transport hovercar lift-off outside the shuttle.
"That was the last container, Captain." Mekak said as he walked up next to me, checking his datapad "The manifest checked out perfectly like expected."
I nodded and flicked my head to make the helmet part of my armor fold up to reveal my face "Good. We have three days until the cargo to Merylia is ready." I said as I looked out over the Corellian spaceport. It was almost three months since we left Coruscuant, but I had yet to relax security procedures. Everyone on the crew keeps a security drone with them at all times when off the ship.
Those three months had been interesting as I had expanded the company with that star shuttle I had ordered. It had been built for luxury cruises for a similar format as I did with the Skies, just without being made for me to fit in and without any cargo.
Rich guests taken on tours to random places in the galaxy that were kept secret until they arrived at the location for outright silly high prices.
The tours went from Coruscuant, five locations and then back to Coruscuant. In the first two days after I posted the advertisements, the ship was fully booked for six months into the future. Never underestimate the amount of stupid people with too much money.
I offered the spot as Captain for the ship to Icri but she declined, wanting to remain on the crew. Instead, we hired a Kirk for the ship. Yes, Captain Kirk. No, the rest of his name is different.
That didn't stop me from immediately naming the ship The Enterprise though.
Either way, he had good references, having been the first officer on an interstellar cruise liner and he passed the background check.
So far, they had been raking in the cash. The only real problem with the business right now was the threat of the Glass Hand and the fact that stopping the Autumn Flower did nothing to slow the Thail down. Somebody else is feeding them information.
I hired a private dick a week ago over the hypernet to investigate the home office so we could at least rule them out if they come up clean.
"Before everyone leaves, gather everyone in the cargo hold of shuttle B. Mr. Cormac has something to tell everyone." I finally said as I looked down at my Zabrak cargo master.
He frowned slightly and then nodded "I'll pass the word."
I shook my head as I looked out across the scorched landing pad. It was good that Cormac stayed as long as he did, but I had yet to find a new pilot to replace him.
Then again, Corellia was as good a spot as any to try to find one. There was commercial piloting and navigating academy here and the place was a commonly traveled port.
I should be able to find a new second pilot on this rock.
Finally, I shook my head and got up, leaving the cargo hold of the shuttle and closed the hatch. A couple of security drones locked inside to keep it secure.
People should have gathered at the second shuttle by now. Time for some unpleasant business.
XXXXXXXXXXX
An hour later Mr. Cormac was on his way to his new life, with a considerate bonus to his last paycheck I might add, and I had gotten out of my armor.
While I would be perfectly comfortably, having worn it on my incursion into town, I attract enough attention without carrying a ton of military-grade power armor.
I really wasn't in the mood to deal with a nervous member of law enforcement at the moment. The general mood in my crew was pretty low seeing Cormac leave and I was no exception.
Honestly, I didn't like it any better than they did. He was a great pilot and a good friend.
Shaking my head I checked my carrying harness before I started to make my way from the shuttle as the cargo bay closed behind me. Time to see about headhunting a pilot.
I had three days to find somebody acceptable before the cargo for the next haul arrived and needed to be loaded. Four if I let my crew do all the loading.
I showed some ID to the guard of the starport passenger central before I entered as it was the fastest part from the landing pad and into the city. That was a problem with these more civilized worlds.
Pausing for a moment I looked out over the crowd. Actually, I was surprised there were no checks like that on Coruscuant. It was the center of the Republic but I never actually run into a check like that there.
Maybe it was because I normally landed on either private pads or cargo landing pads there. This was a mixed starport, not a landing pad by a warehouse.
Shaking my head I continued through the crowd. Now, this was a time where it was very convenient to have everyone else be tiny. As long as nobody stepped on my tail feathers, it was easy to get through crowds.
"C-captain Atreus?" somebody said in a surprised voice as I was halfway through the central.
I blinked and looked around, not really seeing anyone I recognized.
"Over here." the voice said and I looked over to see a human female with brown hair, wearing an orange jumpsuit covered with engine grease.
I tilted my head before it connected. Nicole Mara.
Not somebody I expected to see here. I hesitated if I should call her by name as she was clearly undercover, but she did address me first so I figured it was fine.
I raised my head feathers and made my way over to her "Jedi Mara. It has been a while."
She grimaced and then nodded "Yes. Three years or so....and I am not a Jedi anymore."
I blinked down at her "I didn't realize you could quit." I asked, more than a bit surprised.
Nicole shrugged "I left my lightsaber in my room and walked out. There were...personal reasons."
I hesitated and then nodded "Your master?" I asked on a hunch.
The young human sighed and then nodded "A mission went wrong. She didn't make it. They offered me the trials a week after I got back." she said before she looked away "I walked away that night. I haven't touched the force since."
Shifting my wings I looked her over. She looked like she had gone through some tough times since she left the Jedi "So what do you do now?"
Nicole shrugged "I managed to get a job in the technical department in the starport. I mostly clean engine parts." she said, blushing slightly "The pay isn't brilliant, but it covers food and rent."
"I would think an ex-Jedi would have more in-demand skills." I said, spreading my head feathers in thought.
She shrugged "Well, yeah. I worked the engine room on a freighter to pay for my passage here. I thought it was a good place to seek employment on another freighter. Less competition than on Coruscuant. I thought I could perhaps get a job as a pilot but as it turns out, unless you have papers on what you can do, nobody will hire you."
"You don't have those? I thought Jedi were qualified pilots." I then asked. I seem to remember Skywalker landing half a ship in the movies. Sure, he was meant to be a prodigy, but still.
Nicole looked annoyed for a moment "Well, yeah. I can fly anything from fighters to heavy cruisers...but I don't have any papers for it. All of it happened in The Order. I'm saving up to take the tests at the local academy...another couple of years and I should be able to afford to qualify for light freighters."
I tilted my head at the young human. On one side I needed a pilot...on the other; it might strain my relations with the Jedi.
"I happen to be looking for a new pilot. My first pilot has retired so I need a new second pilot. Are you qualified on heavy cargo shuttles?" I asked her.
Her head snapped up to look at me "Y-you want to offer me a job!?"
I simply nodded "Yes, if you are qualified."
Nicole quickly nodded "Yes. I can fly heavy shuttles! I-I don't have the papers to prove it, but I can do it."
"Then, meet me at landing pad 3-B tomorrow and we will test that skill of yours. If you pass, you can consider yourself hired." I said "How much time do you require to pack your things? We take on cargo and leave orbit in three days."
She grinned and spread her arms "All I own I wear on me or in the bag in the staff room. I can go at any time."
I nodded once more, hesitating for a moment before I dug through one of the pouches on my carrying harness and flipped a credit chit at her "Here."
Somebody once gave me a loan when I needed it the most.
Nicole easily caught it and her eyes bugged out slightly when she saw that it was a five hundred credit chit "W-what? I-I can't take this!"
"You can. It's not a gift, it is a loan. If you get the job, you will require things for your cabin. We can spend weeks in hyperspace with only quick stops at mining outposts and isolated space stations to load and unload cargo. There might be months between civilized systems. You require clothes, entertainment materials and anything else you can think of." I answered, raising my head feathers in amusement.
"B-but...what if I don't pass?" she asked, clutching the credits in her hand.
I shrugged my wings "I have no doubt you will, Jedi tend to make for decent pilots. But if you don't...it's enough for you to get into the academy to brush up on your skills enough that you will pass an official test and get the papers you require. That way you will be able to get a different job. Either way, I have no doubt you will be able to pay me back in time."
The former Jedi sniffed and swallowed, nodding.
"I will see you tomorrow then. Landing pad 3-B." I told her before I turned to leave. I will need to discuss the matter with Master Yoda next time I see him.
The Jedi may be worried about what happened to her.
I exited the starport before I looked around once more. Now...where could I find a hotel with a decent dust bath? The one in my cabin is great, but the variation is nice.