Prelude 122ABY
It has been well over a hundred years since the Battle of Yawin. It is a time of war although some predict that the Second Galactic Civil War will soon run its course.
In the outer rims, life has always been a struggle despite who or what sat in the ruling chair. With all the conflicts and wars, many of the farms have been left to continue as normal having no bearing on the constant power struggles.
That however, has not stopped the raiders who like to target the weak and under protected. This behaviour has made the outer rims a free for all region. Protect your own, only take what you need. Survival in its darkest form. Nobody to speak for the people, and those that should, simply don't care.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Where have you been? You missed diner."
"Sorry pa, I lost track of the time."
"You work too hard and you know better than to be out so late, alone."
"The fields don't plant themselves," she explained, "and I was careful."
"I wish we could afford the extra help. You should be out making friends, having fun - having a proper childhood. I am so sorry that I cannot give you a better life."
"Firstly, I have friends - kind of and secondly, I'm not a child anymore. I'll be sixteen this harvest."
"Promise me that one day you will be brave and make a better life for yourself," he said giving her a stern look, "Promise me."
With a heavy sigh she promised her father that things were going to be better for them. After a quick meal, it was time for bed. Early nights meant an early morning, the best time to work in the fields before the sun became too unbearable to work. Midday was time to learn. There were no schools in the region so all learning had to be done at home. It took discipline and effort but Daey proved to be a good student.
It would always appear that she did not understand but her actions dictated that she absorbed all the information–in her own way–and was always eager to learn more. Her inquisitive nature inspired many interesting hobbies over the years.
She had a knack for speaking with people, as if she knew what they felt and could sympathise. She always predicted when it would rain and her father swore she had a healing touch. He was a proud man.
During the night, a loud noise woke the sleeping girl. Instinct and constant drilling from her father, prompted her to reach for her small blaster pistol. She snuck out of bed quietly and listened by the door, waiting for her father to come and check on her as he always did.
She heard his footsteps and began to relax. It had to have been another large rodent that got into the house. This time of year, they were in abundance. Daey was about to open the door when suddenly something did not sit well with her.
Then she heard the other voice. It was not her father and it was angry. Panic set in and Daey desperately tried to recall what her father had taught her–hide.
Her door burst open and a hooded figure fired his blaster rifle at her bed. Feathers flew into the air and the bedding lay ruined. Another voice called to the man and he ran off. Loud noises were soon followed by a door slammed and the sound of speeders rushing off, which left behind an eerie silence.
It was a long time before the floor panel in Daey's room creaked open. Pistol in hand, the girl slowly came out of hiding. She listened for any sound before deciding that it was safe to go find her father.
The house was a mess. Furniture had been tossed around and the front door was broken open.
"Pa!" she called out rushing to his room.
A stale feeling overwhelmed her heart and before she saw what had happened, she just knew her father was dead. Frozen by fear, it took a lot for her to finally sit beside the lifeless body and check for a heartbeat.
There was none. She moved her hands over his chest and tried to make him better, "Come on pa, you always said I have a healing touch. Wake up!"
After several minutes, the girl realised that her father was not coming back, she didn't have healing hands and that the pool of blood that lay on floor, was indeed–real.
The emotion was too much and so she ran. Out the house, down the dirt path and to the fields. She ran past the farm border, ran and ran until exhaustion caused her to stumble and fall, face down in the dirt.
The sun would soon rise but Daey did not care. The darkness had blanketed her sadness and she thought that if she closed her eyes, she would surely wake in the morning and all would have just been a bad dream.
