Chapter 11: In the Starfighter
Connor quickly accepted; he was very much excited to fly a spaceship. This was something that he had never done before. "Alright, we can leave now", Plo Koon said. He then motioned over to one of the space port workers, asking if they could loan Connor a R-2 unit to fly with. Once the R-2 unit was installed, Connor opened the cockpit and sat in it. He placed on his headset and looked up to see his Master in a different colored fighter in front of him. "You don't have a reason to be nervous, padawan", Plo Koon's voice sounded over Connor's headset, "This is just a simple joy ride". "Yes, Master. Just give me a minute to calm myself.", Connor responded.
Connor opened F.U.S.S. Seeing that he had 5 SPs, he decided to spend all of them on one skill, [Intermediate Piloting]. After Connor confirmed his selection, he was once again hit with a blast of information. This one was one was far more painful than the last and Connor had to lower his head in pain to avoid suspicion. "Is everything alright, padawan?", his master could still feel as if something was wrong and asked. One the pain was gone Connor sat straight up and said "No, master just checking out the interior of my fighter. Connor looked around the spaceship suddenly familiar with what each button and switch did.
"Ready for takeoff, master", Connor said as he revved up his starfighter. "Then let us takeoff, padawan", his master responded. Master Plo Koon was the first to leave and Connor followed him shortly after. With the speed they travelled at, it was only a minute or two before both fighters had left the exosphere. Connor then began to let loose, he twisted and turned through asteroids. He wanted to fully experience of the information that F.U.S.S. had given to him. "A little experience in piloting did you say, padawan?", Plo Koon suddenly asked. "Well more or less, master", Connor sheepishly replied.
"Hmm, getting something on the radar but I was told that we weren't expecting any ships inbound", Plo Koon said. Suddenly Connor felt his internal alarms warn him to get out of the way NOW! Connor pushed off his side thruster, dodging to his right. Just after Connor moved, a series of laser bolts fired past his previous position. Connor saw in the distance four small fighters. "They look to be pirates", Plo Koon told Connor. "Why did they fire on us then?" Connor questioned. "They probably recognized us as Jedi starfighters and thought we were here to ambush them", Plo Koon quickly concluded. "I hope you ready, padawan, because it looks like we aren't leaving without a fight", Plo Koon warned.
Connor started to make a b-line for the pirate fighters, his master beside him. Connor was able to see why the Jedi made such great pilot. With the Force assisting them it was like all his opponents were just moving slower than him. Weaving and bobbing his way toward the pirate ships, Connor saw that one at entered a comfortable range and returned fire on it. Most of the shots from his laser cannon missed but the ones that landed simple deflected off the pirate's shield. 'That's disappointing', Connor thought to himself. Mere microseconds later, Plo Koon decided to return fire himself and ended up destroying one of the fighters. "Great job, master", Connor told Plo Koon. "May the force grant him peace in death", his master solemnly responded. The remaining pirates decided to split off into two groups. Connor tried to chase off after the group closest to him but found out that the group that contained two fighters were now on his six. "Master, they're on my tail!", Conn panickily explained through his headset. Connor proceeded to relied on his Force Sense ability to avoid any shots fired at him, but he could only how out for so long.
"Padawan, clear your mind, you know what to do", Plo Koon remained calm even in such an intense situation. Connor listened to his master's advice and steadied his breathing. Connor then turned off his thrusters, lifted the front end of his ship up and pushed his ship off on the launch thrusters causing him fly backwards very suddenly. Connor then realigned his ship just behind the pirate ships. He locked his sights onto of the fighters, 'So this really is where the fun begins', Connor then opened fire on the pirate ship, and it went down in a blaze of fire. Connor's ship then sideways flipped to lock on to the other one and began to fire on the fighter. The pirate was completely unprepared and exploded into nothingness as well.
"Great piloting, my young padawan. You do indeed know what you are doing", Plo Koon had defeated his opponent moments before. "I'm getting a call, one second", Plo Koon then muted Connor over his headset as he floated in space waiting for his master to finish the holo call on his ship. Connor decided to see if he had gained any exp after the skirmish he just had. Connor saw that he had gained 10 exp from each pirate. This brought his total up to 222 exp. He needed 300 to reach the next level. He currently didn't have any quests issued and meditating still was too slow so the only choice he had right now was combat.
"Padawan, it looks like we are going to Tatooine", Plo Koon's voice rang in Connor's ear. "A diplomat and their guard are believed to have been captured by tusken raiders. We are to conduct the rescue mission.", Plo Koon briefed Connor. Connor was stunned, his padawan life had just begun and he had already had so much happen. "Yes, master, first we should report the pirates we just fought to the Senate.", Connor replied. Master Plo Koon agreed and sent all the necessary information to the local authorities. Connor and his master then found their hyperspace transport ring, set coordinates for Tatooine, and flew off towards their first mission as master and padawan.