Zander's Joyride

When Zander decides to take a spin in a classic starfighter, he unexpectedly finds himself captured by Darth Vader...

At the location of Freemaker Salvage and Repair, Rowan along with Roger are actively trying to prevent Zander from getting close to a N-1 starfighter, which is the same type of vessel utilized by the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps. Kordi, fully aware of Zander's intense interest in piloting, has instructed Rowan to keep Zander away from the starfighter because it belongs to Wick Cooper, one of their affluent clients. Despite Rowan's attempts to divert Zander's attention using various methods, Zander manages to detect the chromium of the N-1 starfighter.

In a parallel situation, Kordi is interacting with Mr. Cooper, who desires to have the engines of his N-1 starfighter double-steamed, his astromech droid re-calibrated, and the heat sinks flushed with pure Kamino water. Despite the Freemakers' established reputation as highly skilled vintage mechanics, he expresses doubt regarding their quality due to their geographical distance from the [Core](/article/core_worlds]. Kordi then excuses herself briefly to intervene in an argument between Zander and Rowan. Kordi cautions Zander against taking the ship for a ride, emphasizing that the starfighter's value exceeds that of their entire shop and that Mr. Cooper has been a loyal customer for a considerable period.

When Mr. Cooper activates the buzzer to signal yet another series of "excessive demands," Zander seizes the opportunity to sneak away in the N-1 starfighter. Knowing Zander's lack of self-control, Kordi expresses her frustration with Rowan for failing to prevent Zander's actions. Zander proceeds to take the ship for a joyride around the Wheel. When Mr. Cooper enters the garage, Kordi and Rowan assert that his ship is "in the back." They then escort him back to the reception area and attempt to distract him by offering to provide extra attention to his ship and to perform a "wax-cleaning." After Kordi and Rowan return to the garage, Cooper expresses his regret, wishing he had chosen Theed Hangar instead.

On the outside, Zander embarks on a joy ride with the N-1 starfighter through a nearby asteroid belt. Despite incurring some minor damage, Zander disregards the astromech droid's requests to return and instead takes the ship for another loop. Back at the garage, Kordi attempts to assure Cooper that his ship is receiving excellent care. Rowan then strikes a crate being held by Roger to simulate the sound of "gunked-out" ionization valves. Rowan suggests that they require additional time to address several issues.

Returning to space, Zander trails a squadron of A-wing starfighters and subsequently becomes involved in a dogfight with TIE fighters. Before Zander can participate in the battle, his N-1 starfighter is ensnared in the Tractor beam of a Star Destroyer known as the Vendetta. Zander is then accused of subversive activities against the Galactic Empire as The Imperial March plays.

Mr. Cooper becomes increasingly impatient for the return of his starfighter, prompting Kordi to employ Roger to entertain him. Much to Cooper's annoyance, Roger reads aloud his autobiography, From Trenches to Wrenches: The Roger Story, which he finds uninteresting. Kordi and Rowan receive a communication from Zander, who explains his "crime" of interfering with Imperial operations and requests assistance just before he is apprehended by a pair of stormtroopers, thus ending the call. After dismissing the idea of hiring bounty hunters, they decide to rescue him with the aid of Naare.

Naare is contacted by Darth Vader, who demands the crystals, stating that his master is becoming impatient. However, before he can continue with a lengthy list of similar concerns, Rowan calls her to invite her to join their mission to rescue Zander. Naare initially hesitates to assist, suggesting that losing Zander would result in one less person to feed. While Kordi is taken aback, Rowan interprets this as a test for becoming a Jedi. They utilize a modified Class-D cargo container equipped with TIE solar panels to infiltrate the Vendetta. Nevertheless, Naare chooses to pilot her own ship, the Eclipse Fighter.

In the meantime, Darth Vader appears to be Force-choking an Imperial officer, but in reality, the officer choked himself by accidentally swallowing a chicken drumstick without properly chewing it, and Vader assists him before genuinely Force-choking the officer for allowing the rebels to escape. Subsequently, another Imperial officer enters to inform Vader of Zander's capture. Outside the Vendetta, the Freemakers and Naare exploit a malfunctioning transponder to request permission to land. Utilizing the Force, Rowan successfully repairs the transponder and secures permission to land. Upon entering, the Freemakers discreetly bypass two stormtroopers, including TK-429 Junior, who is known to be a more skilled shooter than his predecessor. After entering a corridor, they are confronted by more stormtroopers, but Naare uses her lightsaber to cut open the floor, incapacitating them.

When Rowan inquires about how Naare bypassed the Vendetta's sensors, Naare claims to have used a cloaking device. Kordi expresses skepticism, but Naare insists that they must rescue Zander. Meanwhile, Zander is prepared to endure torture from an interrogation droid, as Vader demands information regarding the Rebellion. While the droid tortures him, Zander divulges insignificant details about his life. Elsewhere, Naare successfully passes two Imperial officers who recognize her and allow her to proceed. When Rowan and Kordi inquire, she asserts that she employed a mind trick on them.

Back at the Wheel, Roger is entertaining a visibly bored Cooper with a story about fighting Wookiees on Kashyyyk. When Cooper requests a cup of caf, Roger offers him a cup of motor oil, which he initially enjoys but then finds bitter. Meanwhile, Vader concludes that Zander is either highly trained to resist interrogation or is simply an "imbecile." Naare unlocks the controls to Zander's cell, and the Freemakers are reunited with their brother. Kordi then reminds her brother that she has come to retrieve Mr. Cooper's N-1 starfighter safely.

While returning to the hangar bay, the Freemakers and Naare are confronted by Darth Vader and his stormtroopers. Naare escapes through the garbage chute, leaving the Freemakers to face Vader, who believes that Zander has brought additional spies. The Freemakers attempt to convince Vader that they are ship repair technicians, but the Sith Lord remains unconvinced until Zander mentions that he has an N-1 starfighter. Upon seeing the starfighter, Vader experiences flashbacks of his childhood as a nine-year-old boy named Anakin Skywalker who destroyed the Trade Federation's Droid Control Ship during the Battle of Naboo. Similar to Zander, he takes the ship for a joyride until the Vendetta's tractor beam captures him.

Before the Freemakers can devise a plan to retrieve the N-1 starfighter, Naare arrives in the hangar and instructs several TIE fighter pilots to pursue the fleeing N-1, falsely claiming that rebels have escaped on that ship. Vader's N-1 is soon pursued and attacked by the TIEs. However, Vader utilizes his combat skills and Force powers to destroy several in return. While the battle continues, Kordi confronts Zander regarding his actions. Rowan then uses a comlink to command the tractor beam projector to ensnare the N-1 starfighter. The starfighter is brought back to the hangar but is nearly destroyed in the process. Vader is greeted by several stormtroopers, whom he throws aside using the Force.

With the rebels distracted, the Freemakers and Naare escape with the N-1, the disguised D-class cargo ship, and the Eclipse fighter back to the Wheel. Meanwhile, Roger continues to bore Mr. Cooper with stories about his injuries during the Clone Wars. When Cooper asks Roger to be quiet, the droid asks why he didn't ask him sooner, prompting Cooper to reply that he had told him 26 chapters ago. After the Freemakers arrive home, Mr. Cooper is enraged by the damage inflicted on his ship. Zander apologizes and claims that the N-1 was stolen by Imperials during a test flight. Kordi attempts to reassure Cooper that the ship is fine, only to have it collapse into pieces.

As compensation, the Freemakers offer Mr. Cooper their other ships. Mr. Cooper settles for Zander's prized Blazemaker as collateral, emphasizing that it is a personal matter, not a business transaction. Shortly afterward, the Blazemaker explodes, and Zander remarks that he forgot to repair the fusion tubes. Zander pledges to address that issue for the Blazemaker Mark II. Cooper survives the explosion and insists that the Freemakers will be contacted by his lawyers.