The Rebel Faction

Irtar rubbed his chin as he looked down at the specs before him. This was the plan for one of the defense droids that were going to be presented as part of a defense proposal. He hadn’t worked with anything this complex before, or at least nothing he hadn’t worked on by himself. Simple designs based on older tech. Cheap to produce, but effective based on Sinsang’s industrial base.

He leaned back in his chair with a groan. There were many times when he couldn’t tell whether he was an ambassador or some techie. But then again, he wasn’t much of a public speaker so maybe it was better for him to do what he did best. Chao was much more political minded than he was. Irtar looked back at the schematic again for a moment and then with a groan pulled himself away from it.

He came out of his office with stride as he made his way out of the halls of the Sinsangese Senate. Irtar had decided it was now time for a much needed lunch break. He made his way down the street to the restaurant he had taken a liking to for lunch. It was a small restaurant that served a nice variety of food. The Sinsangese Food wasn’t too bad at first, but a man can only have so much of that greasy stuff before he needed a good old fashioned burger.

Irtar sat where he normally did, where he can look out and watch the street. He sometimes enjoyed to watch the swathes of people walk by. Having lived in relative isolation on Dantooine, he always found these sights interesting. Different. Then all of a sudden he felt something. Something… familiar…. Irtar began to think on what it could be when his thoughts were interrupted.

He heard a cough over his shoulder as the waiter stood there with his food. Irtar shook his head and blushed somewhat in embarrassment. “Oh sorry… still just kinda get lost around here even just standing still.” Irtar said with a little laugh more at himself than anything.

“Are you sure? You seem somewhat distressed today.” The waiter replied. He was an older man, part of the family who owned the place from what he overheard.

“Just have a lot of paperwork waiting for me. Office stress. Maybe all I need is a good lunch to get me back in the fight.” Irtar said with a soft smile as he took his burger and raised it in the air a bit.

The old man nodded his head in understanding and with a sigh walked away. Irtar shook his head slightly, shaking off that feeling that clung to him and dug into his meal.

Irtar heard some grumbling in the back. He couldn’t make it out and so he gave a bit of a shrug. Things were normally quiet around here but there were always times there’d be arguments about the rearing of certain family members. He remember the one day when the old waiter, Raul, was on about how his granddaughter was getting a tattoo.

He couldn’t help but smile remembering the old times at home. Like the time him and his brother were playing some ‘Catch the Drone’ around the house and they broke a lamp. His Dad had yelled at them so hard and when their Mom came in….

Irtar’s smile suddenly went away when he thought about her. He heaved a heavy sigh and pushed away the old memories. No need to dwell on such dark feelings. He just went back to his meal, and decided to finish up quick and head back to the office to finish up on reviewing those schematics.

When he was done the fine meal of a burger and fries, he headed up to the counter to cover the bill and Milea looked like she was about to snap. Irtar kinda a raised a brow looking at her. “Uhm… is everything okay?”

“It’s nothing… Your meal will come to ten credits.” Milea blurted out. Irtar wasn’t one to poke at the wrath of a woman and decided to let Raul deal with her. He promptly gave fifteen credits, the extra five being tip, and turned to leave. It was then he saw the hooded figure with the piercing yellow eyes. Irtar suddenly went rigid and the colour from his face pooled at his feet. He just made his way towards the exit. Maybe it wasn’t his old master. Y’know, there’s more than one man in a species.

Irtar nodded to himself. Vodo had no reason to come to Sinsang. He had duties to take care of on Naboo. It was probably just another member of whatever race Vodo was.

Irtar slammed the door to his office shut behind him as he stepped into his room and took a deep breath. He rushed back just feeling as if Vodo was behind him the whole time. The two hadn’t parted on the best terms. The irony of the situation couldn’t have been more pitiful. He was supposed to head and face his fears of his past and the fears of loosing his family. And because he had headed there, he had drawn a Sith who killed his mother for no reason than just because she was there. He never returned to Naboo after it.

And Irtar kinda still had Vodo’s Y-Wing.

He reluctantly stepped away from the door with a sigh. It was all just his mind playing tricks on him. Guilt was a harsh feeling that played on everyone’s mind.

He dropped down into his chair and looked at the paperwork in front of him. The schematics and diagrams and cost figures and theorized performance ratios. He groaned. He knew he had to get through this work but the ‘Vodo Scare’ didn’t quite put him in the mood for the grind.

After a bit of reluctance, he forced himself to resume his work.

Proposed Defense Droid Schematic Number Seven….

Irtar nearly jumped out of his chair as he heard that voice and saw that form. And more importantly when he felt that presence. Irtar sunk into his chair as Vodo approached the desk. A hundred ideas rushed through his head at once. Thoughts to run, thoughts of words, thoughts of actions. But all of it just came out in one muddled mess.

“HE-uhm-Hello there, er, Master….” The young man kinda jumbled out. “Fancy, erm, seeing you, uh, here.”

Scratching the back of his head and getting that stupid look on his face he always got when he was embarrassed. He coughed slightly, and readjusted himself. He had to face Vodo strong. He had to not look like a complete and utter idiot who had learned nothing on his own. He forced himself to focus and wipe himself.

“Yes, I know the Y-Wing was on loan Master Baas. It is simply that circumstances have kept me from returning to Naboo. If the Y-Wing is what you came for, then you shall find it at the Hangar here. I didn’t change the codes.” Irtar said as formally and as seriously as possible, trying to get the strict tone that Chao normally had in his speeches. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got… much work to do….”

Irtar kinda trailed off as he looked at the papers on the desk, praying that the Y-Wing was the only reason his old Master had come knocking. He knew in his heart that it was true, but wasn’t hope such a lovely and fragile thing?

He remembered the first time he had met Vodo, in what seemed ages ago. Master Organa-Solo had fallen off the radar (still was the last he had heard) and so Irtar had taken to training himself. Trying to piece together what he could from other Padawans and Knights at the Temple to gain a passing knowledge of the Force. It was there that Vodo had met him, and begun to instruct him in the ways of the Jedi, though only for a short time. Vodo quickly sent Irtar off to face his fears which end so badly….

But then again, how could things get much worse?

He kinda reached out for a moment when he picked up the technical schematic. He brought his hand back when Vodo read out the identification of it. Irtar cleared his throat abit and resumed speaking in his unessecarily formal and proper voice. “Well, there’s a lot to do. Making sure that weapons don’t breach Coalition codes on restricted weaponry, whether parts could be brought in from other Coalition planets to reduce production costs, and so on and so forth.” Irtar pointed out with confidence.

Irtar looked about the rather Spartan room. He didn’t have the lush paintings, nor grand artifacts, nor large bookshelves full of old tomes like many of his colleagues. His room was actually rather spartan when compared to most places. But then again, he never had many visitors. Most of his business was with Chao and his Council.

“Well, I guess maybe when compared to some I’ve done well….” Irtar said reluctantly. He never really thought that this was where he was meant to be. After all, he was no good as a public speaker.

“Though I am curious Master, why have you come here then?” Irtar asked, already regretting what the answer will be.