Serran

Chapter 17: Pirates

A gust of air hit Serran's face and he subconsciously breathed it in. He forced open his eyes and saw that he was laying in the medical bay of a ship.

"You're awake!" Exclaimed a child's voice. The child took the oxygen mask off of Serran's face and sat him up. He stared at the child. The child was a young boy, about eleven or twelve, with dark skin, a round face, very fluffy black hair that stuck up with shaved sides, brown eyes, and a chipped tooth. He wore a simple pale blue vest with shoulder armor attached and grey pants with black boots.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Serran asked but the boy had run off after he asked those questions.

Serran looked around the room. The medical bay was even smaller than the one on the Jedi cruiser. It only fit a bed and medical supplies in it. The door to the tiny room opened. Standing before him was a tall Kage. His platinum skin was almost reflective.

"Who are you, people?" Serran asked the man.

"We could ask the same thing." Chimed in a Mirialin. Serran noticed she was of that species by the geometric facial tattoos going down the bridge of her olive-colored nose. She reached out a hand. "Come. Let's go somewhere more open than this cramped space." She suggested.

They all sat in a small lounge area on the ship. Four people sat across from Serran. "Who are you?" He asked them.

"We're pirates! What about you?" Exclaimed the boy. Serran took a good look at all of them: A human child, a Kage, a Mirialin woman, and a human man. They looked nothing like pirates.

"I'm just a traveler of the galaxy," Serran said simply. That wasn't entirely true but he couldn't just give away who he was to anyone.

"Then why do you have a lightsaber?" Pointed out the human male. He had crimson-red hair that hid a portion of his face and a plain outfit of navy blue and black. "Are you a Jedi?" The man asked.

"No," Serran answered.

"Then why did we find you on board a Jedi cruiser while also owning two lightsabers?" The Mirialin questioned.

"What if I don't answer that?" Serran denied.

"We can just launch you into space. I mean, you were already headed in that direction before we saved you." The Mirialin threatened. He had no choice. He had to spill his secrets or else he would die.

"Have you seen the recent bounties? Take a look at them. Those will give you all the information you need." Serran responded.

The Mirialin and the Kage looked at each other and then nodded. The Mirialin left the lounge and entered a room and closed the door behind her. The human man glared at him with hazel eyes. He knew something the others didn't. It was obvious.

The Mirialin walked back into the room with caution. She kept her blue eyes fixed on Serran as she made her way back to where she had sat. "Serran Lahora, is it not?" She asked. Serran nodded. "A rogue Jedi who is wanted for the murder of two Jedi and several civilians."

Serran smiled. "It's more than that now. It should be updated to seven Jedi and around forty others." He said with malice. The boy gulped. "Do you mind telling me who you all are now?" He asked.

"I'm Esther." Said the Mirialin with hesitation. "The Kage is Riu Mahn, the kid is Krass and the hot head over here is Atrus." She introduced.

"What do you plan on doing with me now that you know who I am?" Serran asked, tilting his head up slightly.

Krass looked at his companions and then back at Serran. "Well, you're not our prisoner," He said.

"We can make you one though," Riu Mahn threatened, pulling a blaster out.

Serran couldn't help but find their threats amusing. "Do you really think you'll be able to take me down?" He laughed.

"Don't get all cocky after we risked ourselves to save you!" Atrus yelled. Esther put a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down." She said sternly. She looked at her crewmates and then glanced at Serran who sat still, waiting for something to happen. She then sighed. "Let's talk in the cockpit. Krass, you stay here and keep an eye on our guest." She ordered.

~

Esther, Riu Mahn, and Atrus stood together in the cockpit, free from anyone listening. Esther had a troubled look on her face.

"What are we going to do about this guy?" Atrus asked, motioning to the Sith on the other side of the room.

Esther put a hand on her chin and thought for a moment. They had a Sith with them. They could easily take him prisoner and get the bounty on him but the issue with that was that every one of them had a bounty placed on their heads as well.

Though, if they all agreed to it, they could temporarily team up for the spice run the crew had taken and work together for this run. After that, they could let the Sith go and pretend that the other never existed.

"Yeah, that could work," Esther said to herself.

Riu Mahn perked his head up. "What are you thinking?" He asked.

Esther let her arms fall to her side. "We should create an alliance with the Sith."

Atrus let out a laugh. "I'm sorry, what?"

"An alliance. Y'know, a temporary one. We were in the middle of doing a spice run. We can make that guy join us in it and have him protect us in case anything happens. After the run is done, we let him go and pretend like this never happened." Esther explained, confident in her idea.

"Yeah, that works. Great idea," Riu Mahn praised.

"I guess we can go with that plan. Just don't expect me to trust that guy." Atrus warned. After all, his friends were led to their deaths by a Jedi. How could a Sith be any different?

~

The three who went into the cockpit had come out minutes later with their minds made up. Serran stared at the child who stared back at him but instead terrified. It was amusing to him: a child sitting in fear because the man across from him just so happened to be a Sith.

"Hey. Sith." Esther called out. Serran's eyes slowly made their way to where the Mirialin was standing. "Let's ally." She said though it sounded more like an order.

"Why should I ally myself with you lot? What do I gain out of it?" Serran asked.

"We'll give you a small portion of the credits we get from the spice run we're on. After the run is done, we'll release you and all of us can pretend like this never even happened." Esther explained.

Serran became silent for a moment. He preferred to just kill every one of them and take control of the vessel but deep down he knew that he wasn't in good shape to fight. And besides, he didn't know how strong these people were. Sure, he could easily take out the child but the other three could overpower him if they played their cards right.

"Okay then." He agreed simply.