RotF Chapter 7

The garage is full of sparks and machinery. It smells of oil and metal, and it’s so loud that it drowns out the noise of Coruscant.

The speeder is big and chunky, with massive engines. It’s red with flames on the side and an overlarge spoiler to match the silly engines.

The surly-looking Ishi Tib folds his arms, glowering at Blu and the others. It wears the clothes of a mechanic and holds a tool in one hand.

Blu and Silvi match his gaze as Jayo examines the speeder, and Yeffy hangs off to the side, watching. Metal screeches and tools hum; half a dozen speeders occupy this garage, and they’re all having work done except for this one. Silvi’s hood is up, her face hidden.

“How long ago was this engine installed?” Jayo shouts over the noise, and the Ishi Tib gargles at her. “You’re lying. These are fuel injectors! It’s an old model.” The owner replies indignantly. “I’m not saying it doesn’t have the speed, but these are gunked up. It won’t have the acceleration,” Jayo says, shaking her finger at him.

“That won’t matter,” Yeffy shouts from behind Blu. “The Coruscant 800 is too long. Top speed is what matters. I think it checks out.”

“Shut up, Yeffy. And you,” Jayo snarls at the Ishi Tib, who bristles. “What about this, huh?” She bangs on a panel with her fist. “Half the magnetics are cutting in and out. You trying to kill someone?”

“What’s he saying?” Blu asks.

“He’s saying that he doesn’t have to justify anything because he’s not selling,” Jayo replies, glaring at the Ishi Tib.

“He’ll sell,” Silvi says quietly.

“He says that this speeder is a labor of love for him and it has sentimental value,” Jayo says, planting her hands on her hips.

Silvi waves a hand. “You’re comfortable selling your speeder. You are confident that it will be in good hands.”

The Ishi Tib gargles something at her, then at Jayo.

“He’s changing his tune,” Jayo reports.

“Naturally,” Silvi replies, turning away and slipping her hands back into her sleeves.

“Fifty thousand. No, fifty!” Jayo snarls, stamping her foot. Blu watches as the Ishi Tib reluctantly concedes. “That’s more like it,” she grumbles, executing the transaction. They all watch the former owner walk away, then turn to examine their new speeder.

“Well, it’s ugly. But it’s fast,” Blu says, putting her hand on it. Yeffy hops onto the ladder and climbs up, and Blu notices Silvi discreetly eyeing the blue Twi’lek’s rear end in her tight leggings as she leans into the cockpit, then climbs inside.

With a whoosh and a flutter of robes, Silvi effortlessly hops two meters into the air, landing gracefully in the pilot’s seat. Trying not to look impressed at the Togruta showing off, Blu climbs up and clambers into the passenger seat. There’s room for a pilot, a passenger, and someone as small as Yeffy just behind the two main seats.

Jayo climbs the ladder and scowls at them.

“You aren’t listening to me,” she says irritably. “The Jedi Temple is five minutes into the race. You have to survive and stay in the race that long just to get us there. Have you ever raced before?” she asks Silvi, who lowers her hood and examines the controls.

“No,” the Togruta replies absently.

“Then this won’t work. Using the Coruscant 800 to get close to the temple is a good idea, but we need a pilot who can get us there alive,” Jayo says.

“The skill of your pitiful pilots is nothing beside the power of the ****,” Silvi says confidently. “You will see that for yourself when I win the race.”

“You won’t have time,” Blu tells her, testing the straps. “The race takes almost an hour. We’ll have to be in and out in way less than that, so you’ll have to drop out to come get us.” The speeder isn’t just their ticket to the race that will get them into the temple—it’s also the getaway vehicle. That’s why Jayo cares so much about acceleration.

“A pity,” Silvi remarks. The race is tomorrow. She’ll have to learn quickly.

“I’m seeing another problem,” Jayo says critically. “This thing can’t fit four.”

“Shut up, Princess.” Blu grabs Jayo by the arm and yanks her into her lap. The yellow-skinned Twi’lek is a little heavier than expected. “Oof!”

“Idiot,” she mutters, twisting to look back at her. Her smooth head tails brush against Blu’s face.

“Perfect,” Silvi says, closing the canopy and powering up the speeder. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

“Must we?” Jayo asks, making a face. “If you have all this money, can’t you buy a better ship?”

“We’re trying to be inconspicuous,” Yeffy reminds her.

“Must you move around so much?” Blu asks Jayo irritably as the Twi’lek shifts her peachy rear, trying to get comfortable.

“Am I distracting you?” Jayo starts to ask, but Silvi has the speeder pointed at the exit, and she hits the throttle. They all slam back in their seats as the speeder blasts forward.

“Well it has acceleration,” Yeffy says dazedly, picking herself back up as they sail out into the Coruscant sky. She leans between the seats. “I’ll trade spots with you,” she offers Jayo, who pushes her back with a disdainful look.

“So we drop in,” Blu says, ignoring Jayo in her lap and trying to think. “Use Silvi’s laser sword to cut in. Get down to the archive, then cut our way back out for the pickup. Yeffy does the bypasses while we give her cover. Do you know how to handle a blaster?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Jayo says grumpily.

“Don’t even think about shooting me in the back while we’re in there,” Blu warns her.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”