Hijacked! The Brutes of Baskar

[Anne Phoenix]

"Do you have reservations ma'am?" asked the conductor at the side desk. With people crowding the main holo booths seeking to buy last minute tickets, it would've been far too much of a hassle to check in there. Fortunatley Nebula Star Lines usually has side booths. Normally they would be reserved for the more secretive or VIP type personnel but the newly christened ship she was boarding was meant for more of the mid-class type of civilians.
　
The Emerald Star was one of the first wingless MC80 type Star Cruisers that was decomissioned from the Alliance Fleet and re-converted back to her original form, as a passenger liner that would cruise from one system to another. Stripped of her military grade shields and drives and replaced with more economic models, her numerous hangar bays replaced by passenger quarters and other accomodations. As a passenger liner of this size she would be an attractive target for villainy and scum however, so she did have a very minimal armament and a few star fighters for self-defense.
　
"Yes, they're right here," replied Anne as she handed over her datapad. Formerly an Admiral of the Alliance Navy, her retirement from the service came as a surprise to many. But then she had never really told that many people about her background or how she had come into the Alliance in the first place. It was a sordid tale, told many times over by others who had lost loved ones to the Empire. The few friends that she had confided with over the years are ones who had similar backgrounds and all of them had perished, either during the liberation of the Atravis Sector or in fighting against the Empire at Duros. Deagan was the last of them, dying after ramming his dreadnought into the flank of a Super Star Destroyer.
　
"Okay ma'am, your in Class B, Room #31. The directions to your room have been uploaded in your voucher datapad. The first meal of the night will be a choice between Corellian Nerf Steak or Jaaku's Jumping Jumbalaya."
　
"Hmm, I think I'll take the Jumbalaya thanks," Anne responded with a warm voice and a wink. She had packed lightly for the trip to Duros, where she would be meeting with some investors and CEO's to talk about her plans for the company she was creating and the prospects in regards to profits and durability. She wasn't looking forward to it but it was a necessary evil in order to get the ball rolling.
　
She was pleasently surprised to find the atmosphere rather dry. In the past the Star Cruisers had been very humid, as required for the comforts of the Mon Cal's that most commonly served aboard them. Given that most of the crewers she had encountered so far were Human, Bothan, and Twi'Leks, it made a little more sense. She knew the liner had a Mon Cal captain though so perhaps the bridge had independent atmospheric controls.
　
Calls to finish boarding went out over the intercomm in the forty minute time period it required for her to find her cabin and get settled in. The B-class was the economic version of the luxurious A-class and was a happy medium between A and the more common C and D sections. A single bed, work station area, and a private refresher was all she really needed, plus a decently good view.
　
As she stared at the planet of Atravis below, the docking collars could be seen detaching from the ship before a slightly murmer from the decks signalled the activation of the sublight drives. She was changing from her travel jumpsuit into something more casual in preparation for exploring the ship when it made the jump into hyperspace.

[Anne Phoenix]

Outwardly, she maintained a neutral expression with a slight hint of menacing, one that she had perfected over the years while in Alliance service. Inwardly, feelings of both satisfaction and disgust swirled around inside her. As one of her few flaws she had always been very vain about her hair and had gradually grown it back to its full length while in the service, in addition to using the occasional dye as needed to keep it fully within its original color. She cursed the advent of old age and all that came with it, sans the experience and knowledge that she had accumulated over the years. Plus friends, lovers, and family, although those tended to die a lot when she had them.
　
The dress she wore was a simple sundress, decorated in patterns of Chandrilian Rose Petals and was high cut, running from her neck down to just above her knees. Apart from simple lingerie and a vibrodagger strapped around her left thigh, she wore not much else apart from her sandals. The feelings of satisfaction came from the jealousy the women displayed when they saw her and the more appraising stares from the more mannerly men, some of whom adorned rings and others who didn't. The feelings of revulsion came from the not-so subtle stared downs from the pigs who eyed her like a piece of meat on display, who could only fantasize about what they wish they could do to her like what a hungry nerf could do to a basket of Onderonion Oats.
　
Four days standard time would mark the fourth year anniversary of the deaths of her husband and son and while it still hurt a little, as she was sure it would forever, she had also started to gradually move on and accept living without them. She had even started to entertain the thoughts of seeking another, although perhaps that would wait a while.
　
For now, a quick stop at the Kriinwood Cafe for a quick tapcaf and maybe a piece of ryshcate was on her mind. The calories would be staggering but as this was a sort of vacation for her she wouldn't mind indulging herself. She ended up being third in line, just enough time for her to look over the holomenu and make her final selection. When it came time for her to order she got a little surprise from behind the counter.
　
"All right, and what can I get for you today, Admiral?" the voice coming from an oddly familiar young man standing behind the counter. Anne stopped with her mouth half open, about to order when her eyes traveled from his exuberant face down to the name plate adorned on his chest; Deagen.
　
"Oh....you're...." the words came haltingly as a flood of emotions came spiraling through her, tiny pinpricks of tears forming at the edges of her eyes.
　
"Yup, Max Deagen, Captain Deagen's first born son. I was sixteen when my father passed, now I'm getting my foot in the door to one day continue in his footsteps. Of course, I had to promise my mother I wouldn't join the Alliance right away," said Max with a beaming smile.
　
"Of course," replied Anne as she regained control of herself, "And that's ex-Admiral to you...Max." She did have to stop herself from calling him Captain or using his last name.
　
"Yeah, I think everyone's pretty well heard of your retirement, considering how abrupt it was. My father had always spoken highly of you when he could. I think it made mom a little jealous but I always looked up to you," said Max with a wistful smile.
　
"Well...that was nice of him. We should probably get caught up later though," said Anne, risking a glance behind her to see a growing line of about ten people.
　
"Oh right, of course. I'll have the standard brew, extra-strong, with a quarter side order of the ryshcate. Bill to my room," she said as she handed him her voucher data pad. It had the room number carelessly listed on the display screen. He gave her a quick wink as he handed it back.
　
With a small smile, she moved over to the order waiting area. Atravis was not a small world, but just at the moment it certainly felt like it.

[Anne Phoenix]

Five hours and fifteen minutes into the journey marked the time when everything went wrong. For Anne, she had been walking back to her room from the cafe having finished her lunch snack and taken a quick tour of the gym and onboard casino when the ship lurched violently. Passengers and crewers alike were thrown off their feet and onto their knees or the floor. Alarm klaxons began sounding as the star lines of hyperspace visible from the nearest viewport shrank into their normal pinpricks of light.
　
'Interdictor cruiser' thought Anne as she struggled to her feet. Her plans for a nap had been rudely interrupted; now she would be heading to the bridge to help out in any way she could. Hopefully it was just a random checkpoint set up by either the Alliance or the Empire to catch smugglers and pirates; these checkpoints have risen sharply in number by both sides since the end of the Galactic Civil War, and they didn't always occur within the borders of their own respective governments.
　
There was an air of panic as she made her way to the nearest turbo lift. The intercom finally sounded, urging all passengers to immediately return to their cabins and wait for further instructions. The alarm klaxons were shut off as well, but a flurry of chatter could be heard coming from the comlinks that each employee possessed as she passed them.
　
When she finally made it to the turbo lift, none of the employees stationed there stopped to question her. If anything their faces lit up, making Anne wonder just how many people recognized her on this ship. Privately she also wondered if it would bother her that virtually no one would know her on Duro after she would've finished taking relief in that solace.
　
The turbo lift was crammed even before she shouldered her way onboard. After she requested the bridge a quick glance around revealed about a dozen shipboard security officers armed with blaster rifles and dressed in cheap armored gear, all grinning from ear to ear as they tried to steal glances at her in return. Other than that it was a random assortment of passengers trying to get back to their respective levels.
　
By the time she arrived at the bridge level shudders could be felt going through the ship as she sustained hits from her assailants. That erased any doubts Anne had as to what was going on. But why weren't the ship's own compliment of weapons firing? At a brisk walk she made it to the bridge in less than a minute to find a sea of dejected faces staring at their consoles and a captain that looked like she had just swallowed a bitter pill.
　
"Captain Dorma, can I be of any assistance?" asked Anne as she stood at the edge of the bridge walkway, taking in the scene in one cool and appraising glance.
　
"Not unless you can summon a division of warships or a wing of starfighters to our aid in the next thirty minutes, Miss Phoenix," replied the Captain, slowly turning to stare directly at her.
　
"I couldn't help but notice the ship isn't firing its weaponry."
　
"That's because we don't have any," the Captain said with the Mon Cal equivalent of a sad chuckle, "The Emerald Star was running behind on her scheduled commissioning and cruise, so the 'company' decided to make a few cuts here and there to expedite her coming along."
　
"Same with the Star's intended complement of starfighters?"
　
"Sadly, yes and no. By the time we reached Duro we were to have embarked a dozen Z-95 Headhunters, we even have the pilots with us, but we haven't reached the transition point where we were scheduled to take delivery of them."
　
"What is the enemies' strength?"
　
"Now that, Miss Phoenix, is something you might be able to help us with. We've identified the Interdictor as a heavily modified CC-7700 class frigate, previously registered as being lost in action in Alliance records. But as to the other vessel and the starfighters she carries, we have no clue."
　
"Let me take a look, please," asked Anne softly.
　
"Very well, bring up the display of the principle enemy warship and her starfighters," ordered the Captain.
　
A holodisplay appeared over the central console, showing a very sleek and deadly looking vessel that bore a somewhat similar resemblance to a Marauder class Corvette, only larger. The starfighters were also odd in appearance, seeming to resemble an Eta-2 Interceptor with slanted wings, but also different enough to definitively not be related in design.
　
As she watched the display, several new ships appeared out of the hangar bays of the enemy vessel, these ships definitely being shuttles or transports of some kind. As they approached the enemy vessel fired off a volley of weapons from her wings, a volley of ion cannon bolts that raked over the bridge and engines. The helmsman briefly had a chance to report loss of engine power before most of the bridge was shut down, the holodisplay flickering and then dying.
　
"Well, here comes the boarding party," muttered the Captain.
　
"Hey, at least they aren't blowing us out of space outright. You have a spare blaster pistol per chance?" asked Anne with a determined smile on her face.
　

[Anne Phoenix]

Anne and the bridge compliment of security officers arrived at the nearest breaching point just as the sounds of battle started to ring out through the ship. Rounding the corner in the hallway they came upon a dozen or so Nebula officers crouched behind whatever makeshift cover they could find or create in the short time of preparation, firing blaster pistols and rifles at figures emerging from a docking collar that had been disabled and locked into place for the boarding party.
　
Weequays, Trandoshans, and Klatoonians came out firing and falling as their thinly armored bodies took hits. In return they downed a couple of the more poorly protected officers, the latter falling with soft screams of agony. Through the haze and smoke odd sounding blaster rifles took up the call of battle and in half the number of seconds six precisely aimed shots took out five security officers, their bodies dropping to the ground and laying still.
　
Two more fell as the rest of the security detail began a retreat and Anne knew it was time to get into action.
　
"Come on! Lay down some covering fire for your comrades, then we need to pull back," Anne ordered her cohorts, even though she lacked the official capacity to do so.
　
Putting action to her words, she leaned carefully around the corner and fired a volley of shots aimed in the direction of the docking collar through the smoke and a chorus of blaster fire followed suite. The few surviving officers fell back, crouching low as they scurried around the corridors.
　
Jogging after them, her high heels long since abandoned, Anne checked the readout on her blaster pistol to see that she was already at half power. A second line of defense had been hastily erected at the first set of turbo lifts by the time she and the surviving nine officers arrived on the scene.
　
"We make our final stand here, if they get to this area then they'll be able to get to anywhere in the ship," Anne said, her tone the voice of an order.
　
Trays, crates, tables, chair, and decorate flora had all been hastily set up or knocked over. There was a grim determination feeling amongst the surviving officers. By all rights this battle was already over before it had even begun but if they killed enough of the boarders then perhaps the enemy would be too weakened to continue. Of course if that happened then they might opt to blow the ship apart anyways before leaving, but help could be on the way for all they knew.
　
The enemy was apparently tired of their resistance however. A volley of stun grenades clattered around the corridor before going off, giving Anne or the officers little time to react. Her vision went white as her body effectively shut itself down, leaving her limp and numb. A few enemies in crimson armor began to make their way over the hastily erected barricade and started stunning some of the crew with their blaster rifles, but a volley of blaster fire from the other end of the corridor stopped them in their tracks, felling two of them.
　
Anne's vision returned and she started to regain some feeling in her limbs as she saw another dozen or so security officers running in their direction. Some small hope that had started to build up quickly died as she saw that they were also firing behind them as they ran in to the turbo lifts.
　
More enemies appeared at the other end of the corridor. Another volley of stun grenades, some coming from in front, others from in behind detonated by the turbo lifts again. This time Anne screwed her eyes shut before they went off but of course her body still went numb.
　
She had just started to regain some feeling and glanced up to see a male humanoid in battle armor standing over her with a blaster rifle pointing down at her. He fired and her world went black.
　
The battle for the Emerald Star was over.

[Anne Phoenix]

The first thing that she became aware of was the sensation of being dragged along the floor. As the numbness wore off she could feel hands grasping her upper arms, her feet and legs dragging across the floor. Biting gently on her lips to stifle an inevitable moan she slowly opened her eyes and saw the corridor leading to the main hangar bay ahead of her. Through the open doorway the bay itself was crowded with people. Bad guys stood at strategic points holding blaster rifles and pistols while rows of the ship's crew, soldiers, and guests either stood or kneeled, their hands a mixture between being raised or cuffed.
　
Although the battle was lost, dignity itself could still be salvaged. She struggled briefly, causing her captors to stop in their tracks. Taking advantage of the moment, she regained her footing, just as one of them placed the barrel of a blaster pistol against her rib cage. She moved no further, apart from straitening up to her full height and looking directly ahead. The other captor placed her hands behind her back and promptly cuffed her hands together. She started walking forward again just as she sensed one of them was going to shove her forward with a hand to the back.
　
Entering the hangar bay, she took quick and furtive glances around, assessing the potential situation. Three drop ships and four fighters sat in the hangar bay, the latter of an unfamiliar design. She counted roughly fifty pirates total, plus about five hundred of the ship's complement and guests. Of the former, there were about thirty of the ship's crew, a dozen of the senior officers, and sixty of the security officers. Of the latter, some forty women stood alone in a row, followed by another three hundred fifty or so passengers; an assortment between the classes of travel.
　
Her two escorts motioned her forward, leading her to the row of forty or so women. Anne noticed that they were very beautiful looking women and a knot of dread entered the pit of her stomach. They were stopped however by a voice coming from their right.
　
"No, this one participated in the defense of the ship. She goes in with the security personnel."
　
Glancing slightly to her right, she saw the same humanoid that had stood over her before stunning her earlier. There were about a dozen others dressed in similar armor such as his but he had more splendors to his outfit, probably a high ranking member of the pirates.
　
As she was led to the officers, a familiar voice called out from amongst the ship's passengers, one which caused her instant dread at the word called out;
　
"Admiral!"

[Anne Phoenix]

Glancing to her left, she saw Max pushing out from amongst the crowd of passengers, reaching towards her, his arm outstretched before taking a blow to the stomach from one of the pirates watching that particular group. Coughing and gasping for a moment, he glanced up as he mustered enough strength to stammer out;
　
"They didn't hurt you, did they?" he asked in a weak voice.
　
She didn't reply, internally cursing his foolishness even if she was a little touched by his caring about her welfare. Before, the pirates had only known her as a pretty face that was good with a blaster. Now, she would be of much more interest to them. She didn't know what they were planning to do to the officers but he might even have just gotten her killed.
　
Her two escorts had been leading her to the other officers but stopped when Max had lashed out in her direction. Now they turned her to face the senior pirate as he approached. Hissing sounds emanated from his helmet as he used both of his hands to remove it, revealing a heavily scarred face.
　
"Admiral, now? This is a most interesting development. I knew from the way you fought that you were certainly something more than a pretty face, but a fully fledged admiral? Yet, you are not in uniform or carry any signs of your rank? No matter, this changes things," he said as he came to stand a mere foot in front of her. Her gaze was unwavering as she responded to his challenging stare by openly looking into the depths of his eyes. He stood a mere two inches or so above her height.
　
The audacity he had to cup her chin in his right hand led her to landing a morsel of spittle on his left chin. One of her escorts immediately moved to strike her with his blaster rifle but was stopped when he dropped her chin and raised his hand.
　
"A very voluptuous woman, intelligent, and a bit of a spitfire. You are a very rare catch indeed, I think the Prince will take a very immense liking to you... after you've been cultivated of course," he said with an approving grin.
　
Taking two steps back, he glanced to another senior looking pirate that was approaching from behind him.
　
"Summon my personal shuttle and have her brought aboard, along with half a dozen of the other most promising candidates. How did we make out on the laborers?" asked scarred face.
　
"Just under five hundred, roughly a sixth of her complement."
　
"Hmmm, roughly about what we promised the Hutts...tell you what. Divided the beauties into two groups, send one half to the Hutts with the other slaves-to-be, while the remaining comes with us. Hyperspace in twenty minutes," ordered Scarface.
　
The pirates sprang into action quickly, with her two escorts leading her away, towards an open spot in the hangar bay. She watched, standing there as the three drop ships were quickly filled up. As soon as one of them left a sleek shuttle, also of an unfamiliar design landed in its space and it was her turn to be shoved forwards.
　
She caught one last glance of poor Max as he was led into one of the drop ships. Inwardly she wondered if she would ever get to see him again.

[Anne Phoenix]

"My name is Felixune, as it was given to me many years ago. I know not what my birth name was, nor am I even certain that I was given one. From what information we've been able to acquire from the Emerald Star, I know you as Anne Phoenix, a former Admiral of the Rebel Alliance, but recently retired. I wonder what your reasoning for leaving the service was?" asked the senior pirate captain.
　
She kept quiet, a mixture of fear and determination swimming about inside of her. She didn't want to give this creep the time of day, even if he ended up hurting her over it.
　
"Ah, not one for words eh? Worry not for we'll see much of each other in the upcoming weeks. For now I'll apprise you of your current predicament and let you witness the fates of your former companions," said Felix with a playful sneer as he moved to the viewport.
　
"A converted warship that was once feared by your average Star Destroyer Captain. Now reduced to luxury and the drivel of common service. A sad fate for such a vessel, better that she would've met her end in the throes of pitched battle. She is a tempting prize to make her one of our own but she is a distinctive prototype. Too risky to have her with us, yet too risky to simply let her go. What to do with her I wonder. Any advice?" he asked her with a sideways grin, causing her to look away with disdain. She feared what was coming next, but she wouldn't allow him the satisfaction of seeing her worry written on her face.
　
"Hum...I do have one idea in mind. We've already removed our selections from amongst her complement and crew. That Fish Captain by the way...very tame and cautious. I suspect it was you that arranged that spirited yet futile defense that we faced. If we hadn't a previous arrangement with the Hutts, a deal in which they sent us alien cannon fodder in exchange for prime slaves, I rather suspect we would've taken some significant casualties and ones that would've left me rather angry. Digressing back to my point though, she was left onboard with the other rejects."
　
Gone was the playfulness from his voice as it turned to coldness while his expression hardened into one of precision cruelty. He brought his right hand up to his mouth as he spoke into a wrist mounted comm device.
　
"Release the prisoners."
　
Anne watched with trepidation for a few moments as the Emerald Star started getting under way. Her worst fears were confirmed a minute later when the Star made her jump into hyperspace...right into the heart of the nearest star, a brief flare of light marking her passage into the realms of unknown history.
　
"Navigation errors, such tragedies can occur when you don't check your systems," said Felix with a sarcastically morose voice. She refused to be baited into lashing out at him but at this point images were playing out in her head of the ways that she would like to see him die.
　
The overwhelming desire to lash out at him finally caused her to speak up, but she managed to temper it with the undercurrent of her curiosity over exactly who she was dealing with here.
　
"Where are you from?" came the four simple words, spoken in a cold yet surprisingly calm voice for all that had just been seen to happen.
　
Felix's head slowly rose as he turned to face her, his eyes both showing calculation and approval.
　
"Although you have fire, you have both seen it and felt its touch. Our former Captain had a paltry amount of your beauty but none of your experience. Her aristocratic upbringing was filled with greed of the riches and sloth of the effort. Her assignment as commanding officer of our Battle cruiser was a punishment for excess indulgences of her lifestyle. She consequently took it out on us, her loyal crewers until one day we rose against her. We vanished one day on patrol, slipping through the veils of the mists and entering the galaxy at large. As a Privateer previously we had learned much about the galaxy, including the ongoing war between the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire. Where we come from is not important at this time," he said as he took a casual flight down memory parsec.
　
"What is your intention with me and other girls?" came another question before she reaffirmed her previous intentions to stay silent all together.
　
"Now that is a question that I shall take great pleasure in slowly answering over the next several weeks. The crew of the Dragon's Hymn is not the only crew to rise up against their overbearing commanders. The Prince seeks worthy consorts and servants, exclusively in the form of beautiful women to serve under him for what he sees as a form of repentance. Where we come from, women are highly prized above men. Eventually you may have a chance to meet him in person for now..." he trailed off as the stars became lines with their entering into hyperspace.
　
"...Welcome to the bane of your existence."
　
To be continued...