Star Wars Fan Fiction - The Luck of Verzul

    The two bounty hunters blasted off from Mos Eisley Spaceport with their stolen, Rebel droid hidden safely in the secret compartment in the cargo area. Torson, the only human on board, flew the ship and reflected on the day's heist.
    The Jawas had been transferring droids and parts between three of their sand-crawling transports. Torson, his partner, Tsausth (a Trandoshian) and a pair of Ithorian henchmen had literally walked up and grabbed the R6 unit. It was amazing, really, that none of the Jawas had noticed the abduction.
    According to their employer, Xorx Verzul, the Rebels were paying Jawas to repair and maintain some of their droids. It would seem that R6D2b contained Alliance data. That droid was now sealed in the secret compartment, wearing a restraining bolt and attached to a data port. Now the Alliance as well as the Empire wanted Torson and his reptilian partner. Mr. Verzul -- said employer -- owed the pair quite a bit of money at the moment. He swore however, that this little job would allow him to pay his debts. With interest.
    "He better have our money," Torson decided aloud.
    Tsausth hissed his agreement as he sent Verzul a message of their impending arrival. Minutes later the bounty hunters entered hyperspace headed for a business meeting with their boss.

    Xorx Verzul waited in a modified bulk freighter orbiting high above the remote and uninhabited world of Quextt III. He had just received a transmission from two of his operatives confirming their time of arrival. The day weighed heavily on the man. He had more enemies than friends these days and he was flat broke. All he had were his clothes and the busted old junk heap he was in. He took a steadying breath, tapped a single key on the freighter's comm panel and waited. About ten seconds later, contact was made and a visual obtained.
    A slightly surprised Imperial officer straightened as he turned toward the signal. "This is Captain Nathe of the Strike Cruiser Rathen. Identify yourself immediately, you are on a restricted...," he began and stopped short when he saw the man on the screen. "Verzul," the captain motioned sharply to his men, "do you know how dead you are?"
    "Captain, is that any way to talk to an old friend? Besides, I have an offer to make you. A settlement, shall we say?"
    "You are not WORTH enough to pay for what you've done," Nathe spat.
    "Money isn't what I had in mind."
    Nathe scowled and reached to terminate the connection. Verzul tapped a key and sent over a header of data only. It was enough to freeze the Imperial officer where he stood.
    "What's this?" he wondered aloud. He certainly recognized the Alliance format and could tell something about the origin, but....
    "I have acquired what would seem to be a very valuable R6 unit," Verzul said nonchalantly.
    "Bring it to me at once," demanded the captain. Verzul could see men moving about frantically in the background.
    "I am all too happy to hand over this droid, but I am afraid I cannot bring it to you."
    "Do you think, Verzul, that I am any less likely to kill you if I have to send ships and men into contested space?"
    "Captain, I simply cannot make it, my schedule is too busy and the droid isn't even here yet. It will be, however, by the time you arrive."
    "This is not a game, Verzul! I may kill you yet!"
    "Understood. Captain, I...."
    Bleep. Nathe cut him off then moved to a nearby station and demanded a report from the lieutenant working there.
    "The source of the transmission is here, in the Quextt system. Grand Moff Torell has given us the go ahead. An Assault Transport and four Gunboats are standing by."
    "Excellent work, lieutenant. Remind me to promote you."

    Bleep. "Nice to see you, gentlemen. Come aboard at once, I am waiting." The Co-pilot put the ship on a docking approach. "How did it go?" Verzul continued on the ship's comm screen.
    "It went extremely well," Torson said sounding more than a little sarcastic. "I hope you know what you're doing, Verzul. Tsausth and I are wanted by both sides now."
    "Gentlemen, you will remember that I am not currently the Empire's favorite smuggler." The bounty hunters grunted their acknowledgement. "And if I had sold you out to the Rebels, would there not be a swarm of X-wings blasting at you this very moment?" The Hammerheads chuckled to each other.
    Torson clicked off the ship's comm and silenced them with a glare. Tsausth hissed his agreement again.
    "He'd better have it all!"

    "We will be in range of Quextt III in 2 minutes." the lieutenant responded.
    "Tactical, report!" barked the eager captain.
    "There is one small transport docked with the freighter that sent the transmission, other than those, the system appears to be deserted.
    With a bleep, Nathe opened a channel to his fighters, "Gunboat squads, provide cover. We're going to board them as soon as their shields are down. The pilots' silence was confirmation enough. "Begin charging our ion cannons, Lieutenant."
    "Aye, aye, sir."
    "When you get aboard," the captain instructed the commander of the Army boarding party, "kill everyone except Xorx Verzul. He's mine."
    "Of course, Captain."

    Torson and Tsausth entered the cargo hold. Behind them the two Ithorians carried in the R6D2b.
    "Excellent work, gentlmen. Place it over there by the computer." The Hammerheads moved sluggishly that way.
    "So what's the plan?" Torson said, asking for money but being his most tactful.
    "The plan, Mr. Torsron...," caught off guard, he checked his chrono. Verzul was about to improvise when: Thump! The freighter shook abruptly. About time, he thought.
    "What's going on?" Torson bellowed as everyone fought for balance. Torson and Tsausth drew their weapons.
    Verzul was at the computer terminal tapping a series of commands. "Someone has destroyed your ship and is docking in its place. They will attempt to come aboard. It could be Imperials!"
    "You planned this!" Torson shouted as he swung the muzzle of his blaster in Verzul's direction.
    "You fool!" Verzul dared. "If I'd planned this, I would have let them in!" Noticing the hammerheads were unarmed, he kicked open a nearby container, grabbed a pair of blaster rifles lying inside, and tossed them to the henchmen. Verzul grabbed a blaster pistol for himself and sought cover behind a display console.
    "Now prepare to defend yourself and we might get out of this." He slowly aimed his blaster, careful not to point it in the wrong direction.
    Torson and his men had just enough time to side with Verzul when the door blew in with an enormous Whump! Smoke and debris clouded the room. Rainbow blaster fire sizzled through the air. Even though the hole was wide enough for two troopers to come through at a time, they had a rough time getting a foothold. The first wave lay sprawled in front of the door. The second wave was entering the hold.
    Verzul decided to head for better cover and lunged for a large container. A trooper caught the movement, shot wildly in his direction and got lucky. Verzul landed hard behind the metal box. He knew the blast to his arm would not kill him, but it's never easy to brush off a blaster shot. Gasping slightly, trying to clear his head, Verzul could hear only the jolt of the blasters and the screams of the blasted. After a few more minutes, the fight was over and the only voices were the static of trooper comms.
    "Good thing that's not him."
    "Negative here." Verzul could hear the tense, disciplined voices of soldiers coming his way.
    "Is this him?" Verzul was lifted over by his arm. He was looking into the eyes of Imperial Army troops.
    "I've got him," the other one said into his helmet com. "Room's clear."
    "We're lucky he's alive."
    "So is he!"

    Captain Nathe cautiously entered the scene of the recent blaster battle with his pistol in hand. His perfect, shiny black uniform stood out among the smoky rubble in the cargo hold. A couple of men saluted but the two near Verzul simply hauled him to his feet and held him firmly in place. Nathe walked right up and poked his blaster into Verzul's cheek.
    "Where is the droid?"
    Verzul smiled and nodded to the spot less than ten feet away where R6 stood remarkably untouched by the fighting. Nathe whacked him with the butt of his blaster for that smirk. Verzul was no longer smiling.
    Nathe's posture was triumphant as he said, "Did you really think that would save your neck? I'm sorry Mr. Verzul, but the only reason you are still alive is because I wanted to kill you myself." He aimed his blaster at Verzul's forehead. "Good-bye."
    "Captain Nathe!" Came a voice from the captain's communicator. "Four X-wings have come out of hyperspace. It looks like there're also a couple of support ships, they may want this freighter! Gunboats Tau are engaging!"
    "You are behind this!" Verzul's face was stone. In this situation, he knew the captain would want a hostage and was no longer about to kill him.
    "Gun Tau has been...disabled?" from the comm. "Those X-wings have ion cannons!"
    "Everyone aboard the ship! Bind him! Bring that droid!" demanded Nathe.
    "Incoming torpedoes!" Nathe's com-link crackled. The group was on its way to the hatch, pulling their prisoner briskly behind when the missiles impacted with the Assault Shuttle Riggit. Everyone was knocked to the floor in the jolt. The lights failed, alarms began to wail and a conduit ruptured. A couple of troopers actually got their footing when the ship rocked knocking them right back down again. The rebel boarding party was latching on.
    Everyone knew what would happen next. It got very quiet as everyone held their breath listening for any clue as to where the rebel boarding party might blast its way in to the freighter. There were a few, quick muffled thumps in the direction they had been heading. Then it came. A blast with such force that Verzul felt his teeth rattle. He was amazed that he could hear anything at all, but he could. The sound of the rebels as they came in firing. The men of the Imperial Army were happy to return fire.
    "Prisoners! I want prisoners!" a voice from the rebel side bellowed in the din of blaster fire. Verzul scrambled for cover. There was none but at least he was moving. Crawling on his belly away from the exchange.
    About a minute later the fighting stopped abruptly. Verzul could barely make out the forms of rebel army soldiers making their way safely into his freighter through the hole they had blown in the hull. One was at a panel in seconds and managed to restore the lights. Another plainly noticed him lying there. Seeing Verzul was no threat, the soldier went about his business. At least six troopers lay dead or dying but there was no sign of Nathe.
    The commander came in then with two men close by.
    "Alright, ladies! Search the whole thing! It shouldn't take you girls more than two minutes! GO!" he bellowed. It was he who had been yelling about prisoners.
     Verzul was in pain from the blaster shot he'd taken. He was exhausted, bound and not for the first time today he was a little worried.

    "He's there, sir," one of the troopers said and pointed toward Verzul. The commander looked his way and smiled.
"Are you Xorx Verzul?" He and his men approached.
    "Yes. I am."
    "Do you need medical attention?"
    "No, I'm fine."
    The commander dismissed one of the men. Verzul noticed he was a medic as he turned and went after the others deeper into the ship.
    "I'd like to get out of these binders."
    "Solider!" He called over one of his men. "Get those things off of him. Now!"
    "Yes, sir!"
    The soldier came over and yanked Verzul up, pulled his arms out straight, and turned his wrists so that the binders were showing. Was he going to try to get them of with his blaster rifle? Verzul couldn't believe it! He was! He was going to use his blaster!
    With one clean shot the binders fell harmlessly to the floor and the soldier was off with a smirk and a nod.
    "Your shuttle is that way." The commander pointed to the hole in Verzul's ship. "And here is your money. One million in Prasini Dulecs, just like you asked for."
    He hadn't even noticed the man carrying a small container. He reached to take it.
    "Not so fast. You promised us an Imperial Captain. Alive."
    Damn. He had, hadn't he? Why hadn't he had the sense to try to get Nathe after him and out of that hopeless firefight? If only Nathe had lived. Would they even give him the shuttle? His freighter was trashed. Probably wouldn't make it to the next system.
    "Sir! We found one!" Soldiers were coming back from the cargo area. Captain Nathe was dangling limply between two of them as they carried him. He appeared to have been stunned but he was alive. He had run back to hide! Lucky for Verzul the man was a coward! They brought him right up to their leader.
    "I'll be damned."
    "That's him alright," Verzul confirmed.
    "So it would seem. Give him the money," the commander ordered, "and the codes for the shuttle."
    Nathe began to come to. He lolled his head and squinted at those around him. "Verzul. I knew it was a trick. I'll get you, Verzul. I'll be the death of you."
    Verzul punched the man hard in the stomach sending him deep into unconsciousness.
    "Thank you. I didn't want to listen to him all the way back to the base," the Rebel Commander said chuckling.
    Verzul took his things and headed for his new shuttle.
    "Let's move it! We're gonna have company!" The commander saw Verzul heading out. "I trust you didn't get any trouble from the Jawas."
    "Piece of cake," Verzul nodded back, "Your droid is over there."
    "We don't want that thing. There's nothing in it. Keep it, if it's still in one piece."

    Verzul sat finishing up the task of configuring his new ship. It was a fine ship and it had been a fine day as well. This little scheme had definitely been worthwhile. He was amazed that it had worked. But then again, he wasn't. Things had a way of working out. Sorry you boys didn't make it, Verzul thought to his fallen henchmen. The droid was an added bonus. Complex navigation was much easier with the droid's help. "Stick with me, kid. I'll show you how it's done," he said to R6D2b.
    The astromech twittered an acknowledgement.
    He gazed out at the Rebel ship that still had his old freighter in death grip and at space beyond. In the distance he thought he could make out rebel ships capturing the gunboats they had disabled. It really was their lucky day, all thanks to him.
    He had a schedule and couldn't delay one more minute. He fired up the engines, announced his departure then blew the seal.