Bail had a couple details to straighten out with the Corellians, but once that was taken care of, all the data I needed concerning my mission was uploaded to the computer of the Gaea.
I was quickly given clearance and took off. This was going to be my first trip to Corellia, home world of some of the best pilots in the galaxy. It wasn’t long before I was in hyperspace, on my way.
I had no idea what to expect when I arrived at Corellia, or later in the Virgillia system. I decided it was best if I got myself ready for anything.
My trip around the Freedom’s was helpful. In the ship’s armory, I grabbed some stormtrooper armor and a lightweight armor chest plate that looked like it was from snowtrooper armor. I didn’t think I could use the full suit, but I’d have to see what all fit underneath normal clothes. In the engineering area, I found and picked up a multi-pocket vest and some tools. I also was able to find myself a can of black spray-paint. Why someone had spray-paint on the Freedom was beyond me, but I needed it, so I took it.
I slowly began to put on all the equipment I felt I wanted with me. At first, I thought the stormtrooper armor would be the most difficult item to deal with. I initially thought the black body glove and white armor pieces were combined, so it would be an all-or-nothing situation. Then I found that the armor pieces actually just snap to the glove and to each other.
With this in mind, I started to work. The first thing I tried was to use the full suit, minus the helmet, underneath my clothes. This proved far to cumbersome and bulky. After much experimentation, I found that keeping the leg armor and arm armor then removing the hands and feet of the armor would work the best. I also found I needed to cut off a sniper position armor piece from the left knee area of the armor, since it prevented me from sitting. The snowtrooper chest plate, which wasn’t quite as bulky, fit nicely under any shirt I had with me.
After getting the armor in place, I put on the stormtrooper belt, adding to it the holster for my Flash 4 blaster. Next came the engineering vest. I began to fill the pockets with other items I had around the ship: flashlight, utility knife, comlink, extra battery packs, tibanna gas containers, couple clips of Earth ammunition. Last thing I had to do was put on the under-arm-style holster for my Baretta. I didn’t expect I’d need it for this mission, but I wanted to make sure I could be comfortable with everything on.
Once I was satisfied, I took all the equipment off, grabbed the spray-can and proceeded to give the armor a layer of black. Clean white was going to be very easy to see and I didn’t want to alarm anyone with my appearance.
I was going to cut it close. By the time I had waited for the paint to dry, and then decided what I was going to carry when I arrived at Corellia, I had about 10 minutes left until I arrived. I had to dress quickly, and I was strapping on my gun belt at my seat on the cockpit when the Corellian traffic controllers contacted me.
I heard over my communications systems. “This is the Corellia Air Traffic Control System. We have you on our scanners. Our system shows you are the Alderaan Pride, an YT-2400 freighter, due to pick up parts and technical equipment from docking area 436. Is this information correct?”
I responded, “Yes it is. Am I cleared for landing?” I had been registered under a false ship name to reduce the chance of Imperial tracking.
”Affirmative. All is clear for your arrival. Welcome to Corellia.”
I was pleased. It was a far better welcoming than I got on Cloud City.
The trip down was uneventful. There was less traffic than I would have imagined. I suppose that with as long as the Corellians had been flying, they must know how to control traffic to keep it clear.
There were no bumps in the landing. I was really proud of how good I had gotten at flying.
I lowered the ramp and left the ship. A number of people were waiting in the docking area for me to land. I recognized a couple of them from the meeting at Bespin. The one who looked to be in charge was the same one that had stood up for me after I had pulled out the lightsaber. I walked over to him.
“I wanted to thank you for giving me a chance to help.” I said.
He looked at me for a second, then recognized me and replied, “Well, not just anyone would have the guts to pull out a weapon the way you did. Welcome to Corellia. I trust you were completely briefed on this job?”
”Yes I was.” I answered. “I’ve got cargo that I’m carrying from here to Virgillia 7, then a quick transport job from there to Virgillia Prime. Mind if I ask what exactly the cargo is?”
He slowly walked me towards my ship, as if to steer our conversation away from a known listening device.
“These Corellian ports are not terribly secure.” He said as we walked. “The big boxes carry a total of 200 Blastech DL-17 blasters. The smaller boxes contain roughly 3 power packs and 2 tibanna gas refills for each weapon. The Virgillian Aristocracy has…”
I interrupted, knowing the story of the system. “Almost complete control over all ships and blaster technology in the system. By supplying the Free Alignment with weapons, the Rebellion is trying to even out the odds. I studied up on the Virgillian Civil War before I left Alderaan. Bail Organa has been extremely helpful in my getting better acquainted with things off my own home world.”
I watched as, over the next 30 minutes, six large boxes and twelve smaller boxes went up the ramp into my ship. The seventh box was being secured inside when I thought I heard some load noises outside the docking area. It started with some shouting, but that is certainly not where it ended. I jumped and drew as a blaster shot rang out. Assuming the worst, I decided to find a more defensive position than the wide open. I found that my own landing gear would work just fine. Everyone except the two guys loading the weapons seemed to be reacting the same way too.
It was only moments before we came under attack. A squad of 8 stormtroopers came in with guns blazing. The first went down easily as everyone seemed to shoot him at the same time. The rest of the troopers got in and were able to get themselves fairly well protected behind some empty cargo boxes that must have been left there by someone else.
“This was going to end up a stalemate.” I thought to myself. I stopped firing and looked around to see if there was any way to end the fight in our favor. Nothing was coming to mind, beyond simply moving somewhere that might give me a better shot. Then I had it. My YT-2400 had a top hatch similar to the one on the Falcon. If I could get on top of the ship, it would give me a better view, not to mention the advantageous high ground.
Getting to the ramp would prove difficult. I was protected by my ship’s landing gear, but only to a point. I slowly backed away, towards the ramp. When I found myself getting hit in the back by it, I looked for an opening, and then quickly ran around and inside. I have no idea how many times, if any, I may have been shot at, but now I was safe inside. Rather than use the Flash 4 I had at my side, I grabbed the E-11 Blaster Rifle and its glasses-based camera system. I wanted something that would be more accurate. Once I got the first shot off, I was going to be a target.
I soon found that the crates of weapons were being stacked in front of the hatch elevator. I had to weave my way through some and climb over others until I finally made it in. I activated the elevator, then opened 2 hatches and climbed out. I crawled on my hands and knees for a while, not wanting to lose the element of surprise. When I got closer to the edge of the ship, I got down on my belly and crawled the rest of the way.
I had the vantage p