The System Space collapsed behind him in a flash of white light.
Levi Lestar opened his eyes to the harsh red skies of Corellia, emerging from a hidden hyperspace corridor carved into coded trade lanes. His body was strong, his mind sharper than ever, and the Force now fully awakened sang through every cell in his being.
At his side, the T-X scanned the area. Her crimson optics shimmered as she accessed real-time galactic feeds.
"Geonosis conflict confirmed. Jedi generals Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala have entered the system to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi. Large-scale Separatist engagement ongoing. First battle of the Clone Wars has begun."
Levi exhaled slowly.
"So it begins…"
He turned from the viewport and activated the mission board interface. A holo-map appeared mid-air, showing warzone flares across the Mid Rim and Outer Rim. But Corellia, despite its importance, remained a neutral trade nexus.
"We're staying off the radar for now," Levi said.
Corellia – Shipwright's Row
Levi and T-X made their way through one of Corellia's bustling industrial zones Shipwright's Row, a subterranean bazaar for smugglers, bounty hunters, and under-the-table engineers. Levi moved under a cloaked identity, his Force presence veiled by years of Shadow training.
Amid the wreckage and retrofits, he found her.
A YT-1300 freighter.
Old. Scarred. But glorious.
Twin mandibles, saucer body, and a missing turret just like he'd dreamed of.
"That one," Levi said.
The shipwright a scarred Duros veteran with a cybernetic jaw grunted. "You want the ghost hauler? That bird's seen the wrong side of every system. She's fast, but she ain't clean."
"Neither am I," Levi muttered.
He transferred 55,000 credits hard-earned from slicing corrupted Holonet caches in system space. The Duros handed over a data rod and grinned. "She's yours now. Try not to blow her up first jump."
Hidden Corellian Shipyards – Level 77 Black
Within hours, Levi and the T-X relocated the vessel to Corellia's black-level shipyard network—a spiderweb of long-abandoned Republic deep-space retrofit stations, now repurposed by slicers and rogue engineers.
Here, Levi worked.
And upgraded.
Hard.
Vessel Designation: Vox Eclipse
YT-1300 Light Freighter – Fully Upgraded Stealth-Class Warbird
Core Systems:
Deflector Shields – Military-grade tri-phase systems→ Absorbs direct fire from starfighters and turrets.
Hyperdrive – Class 0.5 with Class 12 backup→ Capable of outrunning Republic battlecruisers.
Power Source – Black hole micro-reactor→ Offers stealth, overcharge, and signal masking.
Engines – Thrust-vectoring ion drives with emergency burst ports→ Acceleration comparable to ARC-170 interceptors.
Armament:
Hidden Turbo-lasers – Mounted within mandibles and dorsal ring
Missile Bays – Seeker warheads, EMP, and ion payloads
Tractor Beam Projector – Short-range capture function
Rear-Facing Ion Cannons – Interceptor deterrent system
Stealth & Countermeasures:
Stealth Coating – Sensor-absorbing luma-skin
Transponder Spoofers – Holds six fake identities
Gravity Well Generator – Micro-radius ambush tool
Quantum Jammer – Disrupts hyper-comm, tracking beacons
Interior:
Cockpit – Holo-linked to Force neural interface
Meditation Room – Isolated chamber for Force channelling
Holo-Slicer Node – Interface for data infiltration
Living Quarters – Spartan, weapon-integrated, one bed, one T-X recharge port
Outside the Hangar
As final checks ran, the Vox Eclipse came alive its engines humming in silent precision. The T-X walked beside Levi, scanning feeds at a thousand signals per second.
"Clones have deployed. Jedi generals entering combat. Separatist walkers spotted. Casualty reports rising."
Levi's jaw tensed.
"We don't interfere yet."
"Why?"
"Because time must move as it was meant to," Levi said quietly. "Until it no longer can."
He reached out with the Force, sensing Geonosis far across the stars.
Flashes of red. Blades clashing. A temple falling. War erupting.
"Our role begins soon, T-X. But not as pawns on someone else's chessboard."
He stepped into the Vox Eclipse and sat in the pilot's chair, fingers brushing the console. The ship responded with a subtle thrumm, syncing to his presence.
"Plot a course," he said. "We're heading for the core . Time to find our first mission and test the shadows."