Don't let her walk away. Tech thought to himself.
You'll lose her for good if you let her walk away.
Tech turned his head and watched Valerie walk away.
He took a deep breath and went after her. He grabbed her hand and she turned to look at him. "Tech?" She questioned. Tech didn't say anything, he just pulled her into a hug and wrapped his arms tight around her. It caught her off guard but she quickly wrapped her arms around him. No longer keeping her tears at bay. "I'm so sorry." She sobbed.
"I'm not going to leave you Valerie. I will never leave you." He whispered into her ear, she just hugged him tighter. "I don't hate you."
"You have every right to be." She whispered.
Tech leaned back and placed his gently put his hands on her cheeks, keeping her looking at him. "Valerie, I love you." He took a deep breath. "From the first moment I met you I loved you, even if I didn't know it yet, but I love how you took an interest in me like no one has ever done before. I love how you laugh with me, and I love how you're not afraid to laugh at some of the silly mistakes everyone makes, including your own. You are the most courageous jedi I've met. You are more selfless than the senators on Coruscant and more loving than the Twi'leks on Ryloth. You are more beautiful than the starry nights of Naboo and you shine brighter than the shining suns on Tatooine. You have more spirit than the crashing waters on Kamino and you have more fire in you than the flames on Dathomir. What I'm trying to say, Valerie is there isn't a part of you I don't love, every new thing I learn about you just makes me fall harder for you. All those times when you weren't with me I have been lost. When you were dying in my arms, that was a pain I have never felt before and I don't ever want to feel a pain like that ever again. I will never hate you, because I could never hate you. I love all of you Valerie and I always will."
All Valerie could do was look at him, he left her speechless. "I-I-" Valerie couldn't find the words.
"Please say something." Tech said and Valerie just looked at him, her eyes continued to water but she pressed herself into Tech and kissed him hard, she couldn't remember the last time she kissed him but she wanted him. Tech wasted no time, kissing her back. The two of them broke apart.
"What I wanted to tell you is nothing compared to what you told me." She looked down.
Tech rested his forehead against hers, "what do you want to say?"
Valerie looked up at him, "I love you too Tech. I wanted to tell you for so long and I don't have the words like you do to describe my love I carry for you but I loved getting to know all of you, your genius and the quirks you carry. Those times you refused my help just drove me crazy because I wanted nothing more than to be close to you. The first time I realized my feelings we were on Skako Minor when you cleaned and cared for my wounds. I knew at that moment I was in trouble because I was ready to risk everything I've known to be yours, but Tech I think I cared about you along before that realization. Every time I was near you after that my heart would skip beats and every time you held me I wanted to just melt away in your arms. Each time we kiss now just makes me crazier and crazier for you. I know I'm impulsive and head-strong but you are what keeps me grounded, I should have never left you. I love you Tech."
Tech caressed her face again, wiping her tears. He kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She wished the two of them could stay like this forever. In each other's arms.
"Valerie?" The two of them pulled away from each other and Valerie looked over and saw Eloise.
"Eloise?" Valerie questioned.
"You're alright!" She said, Valerie let go of Tech and she ran over and gave Valerie a hug.
"I'm working on it." Valerie hugged her back.
"Echo and I were so worried about you." She said.
"I know and I'm sorry." Valerie pulled back from the hug.
"I'm just glad you are okay." Eloise looked over to Tech before looking. "I see everything is alright with you two?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Oh shush." Valerie smiled. "How about you and Echo then?"
"You shush!" Eloise laughed.
"Val? Hunter requested us." Tech said and both the girls turned.
"Both of us?" Valerie asked.
"He did say your name." Tech stated.
"Right." Valerie turned to Eloise. "We have to go now."
Eloise quickly hugged her once more before letting go. "Be careful out there."
"You too!" Valerie waved and her and Tech started walking.
"Val?" Tech asked.
"Yes?" Valerie answered.
"What did you mean by her and Echo?" He questioned.
Valerie laughed. "That is a secret."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two of them made their way to Hunter and the others but upon standing in front of them. Valerie stopped and started to panic. She was afraid of everyone being mad at her. Hunter must've taken notice because he walked over to her.
"You alright?" He asked and she nodded. "Listen Val, we still want you to be part of the crew. That is if you still want?"
"I hurt you all though. I don't deserve your forgiveness." Valerie looked at the ground.
Wrecker walked up to Valerie. "Remember Val, back on that Venator when I hurt you." Valerie looked at him. "I didn't deserve your forgiveness back then, like you feel now, but you forgave me. I know you tried to fight it too and I'm going to tell you what you told me. That everything is alright." Wrecker hugged Valerie and she gladly hugged him back.
"Thank you Wrecker." Valerie said. She pulled away from his hug and knelt down. Omega walked up to her. "I'm really sorry you had to see that part of me.
"We all have parts that we don't like." Omega said. "How did you find yourself?"
"I told myself what I needed to hear, what you've told me before." Valerie said. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but I really am sorry Omega."
Omega hugged her. "I forgive you Valerie." She pulled back and took off her necklace. "I kept this safe for you."
Valerie took her necklace back. "Thank you Omega."
Omega smiled and leaned into Valerie's ear and whispered. "Did Tech tell you anything important?"
Valerie tilted her head. "If it's what I think we're both thinking of then I think yes?"
"Good." Omega giggled.
"Listen up, Rex told me of some good loot from a downed cruiser, figured we could go for an easy mission and get some credits. What do you all think." Hunter said.
Valerie stood up and placed her hands on Omega's shoulders. "I'm all for easy."
"I second that." Tech said.
"Me third!" Omega raised a hand.
"Beats just hanging around bored." Wrecker chimed in.
"Alright then. Let's go." Hunter said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They made it to the planet that the wrecked ship was on. Omega sat in the gunner's seat. Valerie sat away from everyone in one of the seats. She sat criss-crossed and she had her eyes closed. The bad batch deduced that she was meditating.
"There's a village here." Omega said.
Tech typed away on the computers. "That would explain how the wreckage was reported so quickly. The crashed vessel appears to be mostly intact. The cargo aboard should be in fair enough condition to transport."
Valerie slowly opened her eyes and turned to Tech. "I have a bad feeling."
"Everything will be fine." Tech stated and got up to land the Marauder.
Once the Marauder landed. Everyone exited the ship. They all held their flashlights up but Tech was using his data pad to scan their surroundings. The group made their way to the ship. Once they found it Valerie swallowed her anxieties. Something about this ship sent her senses haywire.
"What kind of ship is this?" Wrecker asked.
"Don't know. No hull markings." Hunter responded.
"Based on the severity of the impact and the lack of communication signals, the crew aboard most likely perished." Tech said.
"We don't know for sure. They could be trapped inside." Omega added, she climbed up to the door.
Valerie held her hands against the ship. "I don't... sense anyone alive in there." She concentrated her thoughts. "But I don't know, something's off."
"Well come on." Omega said. Valerie joined Omega and used the force to open the door. Hunter and Omega peered in, Hunter holding his blaster. The group slowly made their way through the ship, the eerie silence didn't help Valerie's anxieties. "Where is everyone?" Omega asked.
Valerie kicked an electrostaff and she picked it up. "Whoa check it out." Wrecker said over her shoulder. "High volt electrostaff."
Valerie chuckled. "Here, you have it then." She handed the staff to Wrecker who held it out. Tech shined his flashlight onto the wall.
"Something unfortunate happened here." He said, Valerie tilted her head. The markings seemed familiar to her.
"Whatever did this wasn't human." Hunter said.
"This feels... familiar to me." Valerie added.
"I will get the power restored and check the data logs on the bridge." Tech said and started to walk off.
"By yourself?" Omega questioned.
Tech turned around. "Your concern is not warranted. I will be fine."
"I'll go with you." Valerie said and started to follow Tech.
"Keep it appropriate, you two." Wrecker said laughing before following Hunter and Omega. Valerie hid a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tech and Valerie made it to the bridge. Tech went first, scooping out the area, making sure it was safe. Steam hissed from the busted pipes and the two of them noticed all the scratches on the computers. Tech walked over a power cable and knelt down. Valerie knelt down next to him, but before he could do anything the two of them looked towards the door. Tech pulled out his blaster.
"There's nothing there." Valerie whispered. Tech still had his visor pulled down and looked on for a moment before lifting it back up and turning back to the cable. "I don't like this."
"Tech, find anything on the bridge." Hunter came over the coms.
Tech typed away on his data pad. "Not yet. Still rerouting the reserve power." Valerie stood up and walked to the doorway, she was trying to focus her mind but it wasn't working. "Stand by. The bridge should be restored momentarily." The two of them heard clattering again and Tech stood up and walked to the side of the door. Valerie looked at him and placed herself opposite from Tech. Tech turned the corner and held his blaster out. He scanned the hall and one of the panels fell off and a droid fell out. The two of them walked over to the droid, Valerie looking over Tech's shoulder.
"Danger, danger, danger, danger." The droid repeated.
"What happened?" Tech asked. "What attacked this ship?"
The droid stuttered. "Danger." It repeated one last time before powering down.
"Well that was useful." Valerie commented. The two of them heard more clattering and looked above them. "Tech... I think whatever attacked the crew is still on board." She whispered.
"I'm sure were fine." Tech went back into the bridge but Valerie stayed in the hallway, she was looking down it. Trying to sense the others. Her eyes widened.
"Tech that thing is with them! I think I know what it is." She ran back to him. Right on cue the two of them heard blaster fire coming from the other side of the ship and at the same time Tech got the reserve power on.
"I got the power back on." Tech said.
"Yes, good for you. I'm proud of you, but I think we need to go." Valerie started to panic.
"Tech, Valerie, we've got a problem. Get off the ship now!" Hunter came over the coms.
Tech nodded to Valerie and the two of them started running. "I suspect this is some type of research vessel." Tech said into the coms.
"We know!" Wrecker yelled.
"And whatever they were researching just got loose." Omega said.
"If it's what I think it is. Then we are in serious trouble." Valerie added.
"It's headed your way." Hunter said.
Tech and Valerie turned a sharp corner, Valerie pulled Tech back into her as the beast was feeding on the electricity from the generator.
"Oh no." Valerie whispered. The beast looked at the two of them and Valerie instinctively went to grab her lightsaber but then remembered she didn't have one anymore. The panic started to rise again.
"Fascinating." Tech said.
Valerie gave him a side eye. "Can you be star-struck later?!" Valerie sensed the others as they started shooting the beast.
"Take cover." Tech said as he pulled out his blaster. He shot the generator and quickly pulled Valerie in front of him. Shielding her from the blast. Everyone looked at the hole on the side of the ship.
"Tech, I think you just set it free." Valerie said and the whole group ran out the hole.
Outside, Tech pulled his visor down. "The creature appears to be headed in the direction of the village." He said.
"We have to help those people." Valerie said.
"Val's right. We're the ones who let it out." Hunter said. "We have to neutralize it before it hurts anyone."
"How?" Wrecker said. "Our blasters are useless on it."
"Given the fact that the crew was most likely eaten by the creature," Tech said. "I doubt it is currently hungry-"
"It ate the crew?" Omega gasped.
"How is that helping Tech?" Wrecker said.
"He's got a point, it's not really helping." Valerie added.
"It ate the crew." Omega whispered.
Tech held a finger up but Hunter spoke first. "Access the lab files, and find out what species we're dealing with and how to stop it."
"Mhmm, maybe I can help." Omega said. "I know my way around Kaminoan tech."
"Go." Hunter said.
"Wrecker with me." Hunter said.
"Hunter, wait." Valerie spoke up.
"What is it, Val?" He asked.
"If the creature is what I think it is then it could be an adolescent Zillo Beast. I hope I'm wrong but I think it might be that." Valerie said.
"A Zillo Beast? The name rings a bell." Tech said.
"I've fought one before." Valerie said. "If you could even call it fighting."
"How did you defeat it?" Hunter asked again.
"We didn't. We used gas from Malastare. Hunter, those beasts are damn near impossible to kill." Valerie said. "I'm coming with you."
"You don't have your lightsaber." Hunter added.
Valerie held out one of her hands. For one of Hunter's blasters. "But I'm not useless."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Valerie and Hunter were flying the Marauder while Wrecker manned the gunner seat.
"See anything?" Wrecker called out. It took a moment but Hunter responded. "Zero, two, five."
Wrecker got to work blasting the beast, but the blasting stopped. "Wrecker, you good?" Valerie called out.
Something jumped on the back of the Marauder. "Whoa!" Wrecker yelled.
"Wrecker?" Valerie called again.
"Did you get it?" Hunter asked.
"No!" Wrecker yelled.
Valerie turned to Hunter. "Hunter, we can't let this beast get fully grown. We won't be able to stop it, if it becomes too big."
"We won't Val, we'll stop it before then." Hunter reassured her.
Valerie looked straight ahead. "It's too late for that."
"Hunter, Val was right. The creature is the same species that attacked Coruscant during the war." Tech came over the coms. "You must not let it get near the power grid, or it will increase exponentially in size."
Valerie's jaw dropped as the beast looked up at them. "We're too late!"
"Hang on!" Hunter maneuvered the Marauder away from the Zillo Beast but not before its tail hit the ship, shaking it and everyone hung on tight. Hunter turned the ship around and Wrecker started blasting the beast. Valerie turned toward the village.
"The village is losing power!" She called out. Then she looked up at the sky. "The empire also entered the system, we're done for."
"Stop it before it gets any larger." Hunter said to Wrecker.
"I'm trying!" Wrecker yelled back.
"We got ships on our tail." Hunter said.
"The empire." Valerie reminded him.
Hunter pulled up on the ship, they were near the village. The imperial ships started blasting at the Marauder, stray fire hitting the city. Valerie got up and ran towards the door, opening it.
"Val, sit down!" Hunter yelled.
"Now is not the time to argue Hunter! Someone has to help those people!" She yelled back. "Don't wait for me! I'll meet you at the landing zone." She jumped out of the ship.
Hunter couldn't help but chuckle. "Welcome back Val."
Valerie tucked and rolled onto the village street and got up running. She looked and saw falling debris heading towards some of the villagers and she ran over and held her hands up, stopping the falling debris in the air. The villagers looked up at her and realized what she was.
"Run!" She yelled. "You all need to run!"
"Thank you!" A woman said and grabbed her child and everyone took off running.
Valerie threw the debris over the edge and continued to help the villagers. She picked them up when they fell, got them out of their houses and towards inland. She was getting ready to leave as she saw more imperial shuttles heading her way.
"Help!" She heard the cry of a small child.
Valerie turned her head and saw a boy kneeling next to his father, who's leg was stuck until fallen debris. She ran over to them.
"I'm alright. No need to panic." The man reassured the boy.
"Father please!" The boy turned to Valerie as she ran over, she saw tears streaking his face. "Please! Help my father!" He pleaded.
Valerie nodded. "I will, but you need to stand back." Valerie pushed the boy back and held both her hands out, she concentrated and used the force to lift the rock. The boy ran over and pulled his father out and once he was free Valerie dropped the rock. She helped the man up.
"Thank you! Thank you!" The man said.
"Of course, get to the high ground. The two of you will be safer there." Valerie said and she turned and watched the shuttles land.
"Get out of here." Valerie turned back to the man. "You're a wanted woman by them, you won't be safe here." Valerie nodded and turned away. "Miss?" Valerie turned back. "I always knew you weren't the bad guys."
Valerie smiled. "May the force be with you." She turned away again and force jumped over the guard rail and took off running.
While running, she heard Tech on the coms. "Hunter, we are clear of the vessel and heading to the landing zone."
"Copy that." Hunter responded.
Valerie picked up her pace and broke the treeline. She saw the Marauder hovering but she was on the other side of the door, and she could see the empire on their tail. She jumped onto the wing as she sensed Tech and Omega climbing on board. Hunter got the Marauder lifted into the air.
"Where is Val?" She could barely hear Tech say.
"Val? Where are you?" Hunter came over the coms as he headed towards the galaxy. Valerie inched her way towards the front of the ship and peered over, smacking the window and scaring Hunter. "Jeez Valerie!" He yelled. He opened the door again and Valerie flipped over and into the ship. He closed the door as he made his way into space and more importantly, into hyperspace.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Valerie was checking in on Omega. She was back in the gunner's mount, stroking Lula.
"The crashed vessel was part of an imperial cloning operation." Tech said, breaking the silence.
"The empire cloned the Zillo Beast?" Hunter asked. Valerie looked over her shoulder and climbed down the ladder and towards the boys.
"Yes and no." Tech stated. "The directive came from the Supreme Chancellor before he became emperor."
"I remember that. He wanted to use its indestructible hide for armor for the clones, but-" Valerie sighed. "It broke free and we were forced to exterminate the beast." She leaned over Tech's shoulder, looking at the computer.
"What does he want with another one?" Wrecker asked.
"For the same thing I assume." Tech said. "The creature's genetic material has the potential to be weaponized in the hands of the right scientist."
"Where were they taking the creature?" Hunter asked.
"Unknown." Tech said. "The ship did not have a destination logged." Tech turned to Hunter. "Hunter, there is far more to this than we realized. From what I have gathered, I suspect the empire did not destroy the cities on Kamino to end cloning. They merely wanted to control it." Hunter walked away from them. Valerie and the other's watched him walk away.
He turned back towards them. "Send the data to Echo and Rex. See what they can find out."
"Uh Tech?" Omega called from the gunner mount.
Tech turned to Omega. "What is it?"
"The light is beeping again." She pointed out. "You should answer it."
Tech turned to Hunter who nodded. He answered the transmission and it was from Phee. "Hey, hope you boys are in the area. I could use the help."
"What are your coordinates?" Tech asked.
"I'll send them now." She disappeared.
"Looks like we're helping our favorite pirate." Hunter chuckled.
Valerie rolled her eyes. "Favorite?"