Chapter 8: Recompense (Pt.4)

The early morning routine was typical. Dress, breakfast, and prepare the hanger for the work that will come in.

There was something Roland always did first in the hanger bay before he begins his job. Roland climbed the set of stairs up to the launch bay where his starfighter was suspended above everything else in the hanger bay. She was beautiful, a glorious piece of Imperial engineering. He climbed around the hull to the hatch above the cockpit. He held a wide smile as he opened the hatch and proceeded to climb down into the pilot chair.

Roland took a long deep breath and closed the hatch above him. A sense of bliss and relaxation overcame him. "I need to take you out of this hanger my love." He inhaled deeply through his nose, the smell of electronics, metals and plastics was the same as it always was. "One day, I promise. I will wield you as I did those years before. " He toggled on the ship's systems. The screens and controls lit up in sequence to the toggles flipped and nobs twisted. He left the engines off and did a systems check. Reactor, online, sensors, online, weapons, online. It was as if she was saying she loved him back. Then the targeting computer offered five targeting telemetries. "The X-Wings are still here? Heckler killed them. Of course. The fifth is some kind of small freighter."

Roland toggled the systems off and climbed out to make his way to the hanger floor. As he approached the freighter he yelled, "Anyone home?"