#quiggold

Kix being found in stasis, from Chapter 25.

“A cryo-cycle stasis pod?” said Pendewqell, his voice laced with desperation. The crew had reached the vault and, with some quick blaster fire and well-placed explosives, had managed to break it open. But there were no lightsaber crystals to be found. Just a single cryo-cycle stasis pod. Cryo-cycle stasis was usually used only for short periods, but this pod had clearly been here a long time. The clear glass of the pod was frosted over, making it impossible to discern what was inside. The cruiser shuddered again. The explosive storm outside was putting the final touches on the already ruined warship. Soon the infrastructure would fail completely. “Okay, look…there could be anything frozen in there!” Pendewqell said with an optimism he didn’t really feel. “I bet it’s something, or someone, really valuable!” In unison, the crew glared at the Ishi Tib. “Well…if it’s not valuable, why is it in a vault?” Pendewqell yelled in exasperation. The Corsair nodded. Quiggold shrugged in agreement. “It’s a fair point. Let’s deactivate it.” Squeaky and Reveth took hold of the pod while Pendewqell began pressing buttons on the side panel of the emergency generator system that had kept the stasis field intact. Within seconds, the pod began to open and the form of what was stored within became clear for all to see. A Republic clone trooper. Alive, decades after the end of the Clone Wars. “Where…where am I?” stammered the trooper.

Kix trying to get help so he can uncover the plot against the Jedi, from Chapter 27.

Reveth quickly moved to help the trooper to his feet. It was a mistake; despite decades frozen in stasis, it was clear the clone’s fighting instincts were intact. “You don’t understand!” the trooper yelled as he shoved Reveth backward. The clone looked panicked. Feverish. He was babbling. “I’m a medic,” he said between gasps of air. “And I… I learned something… something horrible. Fives knew…. He’s the one who figured it all out after Tup… and it got him killed. But I kept investigating. They said it was a virus….” The Corsair gestured subtly to Squeaky and Pendewqell, and the two pirates began circling to either side of the sick clone. “A chip in our heads. In all the clones’ heads! And an order. A command to betray…kill…and it comes from the Chancellor!” The clone grabbed Squeaky’s outstretched hand and flung him into the advancing Pendewqell. The effort was too much though, sending him staggering. “The Seppies…captured me.” The soldier was speaking fast—almost too fast to follow. It was as if the clone was unaware he was speaking out loud. “Interrogated me to find out who else knew.” The clone was sweating. Shaking. He looked sad. “I never had a chance to tell anyone else what I learned. I didn’t know who I could trust. But I wouldn’t tell them anyway…. “So they said…” The pirates were quiet, listening as the sick and delirious clone continued. “They said they were sending me to someone I couldn’t keep secrets from… to the Sith…. The cold… the freezing, burning cold…” The clone slumped to the ground. His eyes were rolling into the back of his head. “Stasis poisoning,” whispered Reveth. “He was trapped in there for too long.” “No…! I can still save them. Skywalker…” the clone whispered intently. “Get me General Skywalker! He’ll help. We can save… save the Jedi… save the Republic!” “What’s your ID, trooper?” Quiggold asked the recently unfrozen soldier. “CT-6116.” The trooper coughed. “Kix. They call me…Kix…sir….” And with that, the soldier slipped into unconsciousness. Reveth moved quickly to place a breather over the soldier’s face. “Well,” Quiggold said, breaking the long silence that had descended on the band of pirates. “That certainly was priceless information, Pendewqell. I bet the Galactic Republic will be super happy now that they can stop the Emperor from rising to power. Probably save the galaxy a whole lot of lives, too. Maybe we can go to the Jedi Council and get a nice fat reward!” The first mate turned to face the Ishi Tib who had foolishly led them on that treasure hunt. “So all we need to do now is travel back in time! What do you say—” But Pendewqell was gone.

Kix thinking over all he missed, from Chapter 34.

Kix, the clone, had eventually recovered—physically anyway. The trooper still seemed in deep shock over the many revelations of galactic history he had learned since awakening, particularly in regard to the assault on the Jedi Order and its fallout. While Kix pondered his destiny in the strange new future, the pirate crew was busy wallowing in the past.

Kix joining the Corsairs crew, from Chapter 34.

The Crimson Corsair and the Sinister Secret of the Binary Star (2025), Written by Landry Walker

Glad we can all agree reveth's a lesbian ✨