Star Wars: Empire of the Eternal Star

{Chapter: 23 Murder and Silencing}

In the vast, endless expanse of the universe, where countless stars shimmered against the darkness like scattered diamonds, a sudden and blinding flash of white light cut through the void. From the depths of hyperspace, a YT-1000 light cargo ship emerged, its hull rattling slightly as it transitioned back into real space. The vessel, known as the Lancer, was battle-worn but still intact, carrying its weary crew away from the chaos they had narrowly escaped.

Inside the cockpit, tension lingered like a thick fog, but a collective sigh of relief rippled through the ship. They had done it—they had finally escaped.

Leo, utterly drained from the recent encounter, barely had the strength to move. With shaky arms, he climbed out of the gun turret where he had been positioned, only to collapse onto the cold metal floor of the ship's interior. His breathing was ragged, his body sore from the stress of the fight. Before he could even attempt to push himself up, a pair of strong hands grabbed him.

"You okay?" came a voice filled with both exhaustion and admiration.

Leo glanced up and saw Edison, the village officer, kneeling beside him, offering his support. The man had unbuckled his seatbelt the moment they were in the clear and rushed over to help.

"Thanks to you, we made it out alive," Edison added, forcing a smile despite the weariness in his eyes.

"We escaped? We actually did it?" Dubrak Quinto, still seated in the co-pilot's chair, was staring at his own hands as if struggling to believe reality.

A moment later, the weight of their success hit him. He unbuckled his harness, jumped to his feet, and erupted into laughter. "We did it! We actually pulled it off! No one—NO ONE—has ever managed to escape after committing a crime on Mygeeto! Do you understand what this means? We broke through an impenetrable defense!"

His manic energy was infectious, but Leo was too exhausted to join in the celebration. Instead, he weakly pointed toward the cargo hold, his unspoken message clear—someone needed to check on their "package."

Edison gave a nod and gestured for Spud to get to work. "Overhaul the ship, check the systems, and cycle the shields. We don't know what's waiting for us out here, and I don't want any surprises."

Quinto, still riding the high of their victory, paced around the cockpit. "I think we should find a safe place to refuel and restock. We've pushed this ship to its limits."

"My advice?" Edison interjected. "Don't. This Muun is a hot potato, and the sooner we get rid of him, the better. If we land somewhere, we risk complications, maybe even a trap."

Before anyone could respond, a deep mechanical whirring echoed through the ship as the T-850, their towering enforcer, emerged from the cargo hold carrying the target like a sack of grain. The sight of the Muun caught everyone's attention.

This was the man they had risked everything to extract?

The prisoner was frail-looking, standing at about 1.9 meters tall, yet somehow appearing small and pitiful. He wore a pair of monocles that sat awkwardly on his elongated face, and his entire demeanor screamed fear and submission. He trembled, his hands clasped together as though praying for mercy.

"That's our guy?" Quinto muttered, raising an eyebrow. "I expected someone a little… tougher. He looks like he'd faint if I raised my voice."

Edison crossed his arms. "We don't ask questions. That's the rule. Let's just contact Hego and finish this."

With that, he pulled out a small communicator—a cheap, disposable device given to them specifically for this mission. Once the deal was done, they were to discard it, cutting all ties permanently.

The screen flickered to life, and a towering figure materialized in the holographic projection. Hego Damask II. The sheer presence of the Muun crime lord was enough to make the prisoner shrink back, nearly curling into himself in terror.

"You have retrieved Semid," Hego stated, his voice cold and mechanical through his mask. "Good."

The name sent a shiver down the captive's spine. He stepped forward hesitantly, trembling as he held out a small data storage device. "L-Lord Hego… I did it. The transaction records of the Tonys family… they are here." His voice was weak, nearly a whisper, as though speaking too loudly might invoke punishment.

Hego's masked face betrayed no emotion, but his words carried weight. "Very good. You will be rewarded handsomely."

The statement seemed reassuring on the surface, but there was an ominous undercurrent beneath it.

Semid swallowed hard, his lips trembling. "Then… according to our agreement, I… I can—"

"Kill him."

The command was absolute, final.

Semid's eyes widened in sheer terror as his knees buckled beneath him. He collapsed to the floor, his hands grasping at the hem of his robes. "No! Please, Lord Hego! I did everything you asked!" His voice broke as he pleaded desperately. "I upheld my end of the deal!"

Edison hesitated. His fingers twitched over the grip of his blaster, but he didn't raise it. Killing an unarmed, defenseless man—one who had fulfilled his contract—didn't sit right with him.

Quinto, standing nearby, whispered urgently, "We should just do it. That's the rule."

Hego Damask II remained silent, his unreadable gaze fixed on them, waiting.

Edison slowly lifted his pistol, but something inside him refused to pull the trigger. Before he could even make a decision—

BANG!

The sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the ship.

Semid's body jerked violently before slumping lifelessly onto the floor, a thin trail of smoke rising from the fresh wound in his heart.

Edison spun around, his heart pounding. The shooter was Leo.

Leo, who had barely spoken since they escaped. Leo, who was still weak from exhaustion. Leo, who now held his revolver steady, its barrel still smoldering from the shot.

For a moment, the only sound was the soft hum of the ship's systems.

Then Edison let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. "Never mind." He turned back toward the hologram of Hego. "It's done. The man is dead."

A grating chuckle resonated from the crime lord. Though his face was hidden behind metal, his satisfaction was clear. "Not bad. Very good. Hahahaha! As promised, proceed to Planet Loen to collect your rewards."

Edison scowled. His gaze flickered to Semid's lifeless body, then back to Hego. "Did he get his reward?" His tone was laced with sarcasm and barely concealed disdain.

Hego's reply was chilling in its simplicity. "He knew too much."

The hologram flickered, and Hego delivered a final warning. "You, however, know nothing. Come to Loen. Otherwise, you'll find yourselves adrift in the vast Terex system with nowhere to run. Hahaha…"

And with that, the transmission cut off.

Edison exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair. He turned back to Leo, shaking his head. "Administrator, you made the right call." His voice was weary but resolute. "I hesitated, and that could have cost us everything. I won't make that mistake again."

Leo didn't respond. He simply holstered his revolver, closed his eyes, and leaned back against the cold wall of the ship.

The job wasn't over yet.

"He can still be saved. Let's deal with him quickly," Leo murmured weakly, barely able to keep his eyes open. The continuous use of the Force had drained him almost completely, leaving his body heavy and his mind sluggish.

Edison's eyes widened with a spark of hope, and he immediately ran back to check on Semid. Upon closer inspection, he found that the Muun was still breathing, though shallowly. Wasting no time, he grabbed the emergency medical kit from the wall panel and knelt down, applying pressure to the wound before retrieving a clotting agent.

"I used live ammunition, but I guided the shot with the Force," Leo explained in a low voice. "I aimed for a non-lethal spot. At this range, the bullet would have passed straight through without hitting any vital organs. As long as we act quickly, he should make it."

Edison worked swiftly, his hands steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. After a tense moment, he exhaled in relief. "The bleeding has stopped. He's stable for now, but he'll need proper medical treatment as soon as possible," he said as he sat back on his heels.

Leo, still lying down, let out a tired sigh. "We don't have time to land on a planet for treatment. You'll have to find another way."

Quinto suddenly snapped his fingers. "Carbon freezing! We can seal him in carbonite!" He turned to the others with urgency in his voice. "This ship has an old carbon freezing unit. If we put him in suspended animation, we can keep him alive until we find proper medical care."

Without waiting for further discussion, the T-850 robot lifted Semid effortlessly, cradling him like a ragdoll, and followed Quinto toward a small storage bay. As Quinto activated the controls, a mechanical hum filled the air, and thick plumes of vapor hissed from the chamber's vents. In moments, a metallic gray substance engulfed Semid, hardening into a solid, half-metal, half-stone shell—his frozen expression now locked in place, as if caught mid-gasp.

Satisfied with the process, Quinto and the T-850 carefully secured the carbonite slab among the cargo, tucking it behind other goods to ensure it remained undetected.

The technology of carbon capsule is similar to cryo-hibernation, but it is more thorough. Initially, this was also the technology used for ultra-long-distance voyages. Later, people invented the hyperspace engine, and carbon capsules gradually withdrew from the market. Now they are often used to detain fugitives—though, in this case, it works just as well to keep someone alive.{1}

Edison turned back to Leo, his face still carrying the guilt from earlier. He hesitated for a moment before finally stepping forward and grasping Leo's hand firmly. "Administrator… I misjudged you. I truly didn't expect you to—" He stopped, searching for the right words.

Leo gave a tired chuckle, his strength nearly spent. "Don't put me on a pedestal just yet. This isn't kindness—it's strategy. We needed a backup plan, just in case." He patted Edison's arm weakly before letting his hand drop. "Now, let me rest. I'm completely drained."

Without another word, he turned onto his side on a makeshift cot and, within seconds, was fast asleep.

Quinto sighed and turned to Murte. "We should get moving. Loen isn't exactly close. We'll need to follow the Hydian Way first before we can switch to the Corellian Run. By the time we get there, we'll be running on fumes." He shook his head. "Hego planned this—sending us all the way to Loen, making sure we burn through most of our fuel."

Murte exhaled sharply. "It doesn't matter. We don't have much choice but to follow through." He strapped himself back into the pilot's seat and began inputting coordinates. "Buckle up. We have a long journey ahead of us."

With that, the Lancer's engines flared to life, and the ship veered toward the vast, endless stretch of hyperspace.

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{1}: For example, in the first episode of the first season of The Mandalorian, the protagonist used this technology to imprison the dishonest Mithrol.

[Easter Egg Chapter Attachment 1: Muuns]

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