The Secret Apprentice | Vader x OC

Consequence

With the conclusion of the transmission, Blip went from her crouched position into standing. She was beyond excited, wanting so intensely to see Sabel again and finally get to meet Bombi. "After our work shift is over, we can send a message back to Sabel and Bombi." Rinsing my hair, my bath had unfortunately come to a close.

.

Seven hours into my laborious operations, I was currently halfway wrapped up with the preventative maintenance on one of the many TIE fighters lined up for me to work through. The preventative maintenance was mainly focused on the TIEs ion engine outlets and both of their respective solar ionization outlets. Despite my mindset being tied between my passion to pursue the countless different ways I could straighten up or even enhance the Imperial army's weapons and starships, I also did not want to give this destructive fascist dictatorship of a government more strength than it already has. Otherwise, I'd let my ambitions go wild.

Thankfully, the TIE's engines were completely chilled and the radioactivity posed no risk to me, as these have yet to participate in battle or freefly throughout the vacuum of space. Once I had finished up on the engines, my focus moved onto the laser cannons, the outer panel removed so I could inspect them internally. Tomorrow is scheduled to be the day that these will be utilized to become the final test for the to-be imperial Starfighter pilots that will be arriving here at the station's docking bay around 0700.

Focusing on my work, the docking bay's atmosphere containment projector's activation cued the arrival of an oncoming starship. With the atmosphere within the docking bay stablized, the bay doors opened to receive the vessel. This occurred so often to the point that most arrivals no longer held my attention, instead I remained focused on inspecting the wiring and connections.

Within the docking bay, an Imperial shuttle entered, its engines causing a temporary spike in temperature that fell the instant the shuttle touched down. The engines were turned off, and the wings folded inward. The loading ramp descended, and a bitter chill nipped at the exposed skin on my arms and neck. My progress came to a premature halt upon feeling that peculiar tether tug at what could only be described as my soul. I was no longer cut off, and he had returned.

Shifting my focus, I turned around and pulled my safety goggles down to hang from my neck. Blip was fastened to my shoulder and collar, focusing on what it is that grabbed my attention.

Imperial officers and rows of stormtroopers stood in formation before the shuttle, kneeling while a couple troopers stepped off the shuttle, followed by the person of interest. Despite being a reasonable distance away, I felt as though I had been too far away. His mechanical breathing reached my ears, and my emotions were unsure whether to be haunted by the sound, or relieved by the thought that the personnel around here may finally straighten up and leave me alone. He stepped foot off the ramp, his magnificent stature sending my stomach into a flurry of knots. The cape that draped down from his shoulders flowed and rippled within his shadow like the gentle waves of an ocean.

His return absolutely captivated me, not acknowledging it until my welder slipped from within my loosening fingers, clanging horrifyingly loud upon meeting up with the steel flooring at my feet. The entire docking bay had been deathly silent out of courtesy at Lord Vader's return, up until just now. To make things worse, I gasped out of panic at my own mistake, my gasp considerably louder than I had anticipated it to be. Instantly I was on my knee retrieving my welder, terrified to look up at the angry eyes that bore into me from all around.

I knelt in place for what felt like eternity, sweating profusely at my own shameful mistake up until boots met my field of vision. It was General Olen, "On your feet at once, mechanic." He demanded loudly to enforce further humiliation.