Chapter 1:
The Winds of Change
There was a fresh layer of snow that had covered the distant peaks of the Triblehorn Mountains, and the wind was raging through the trees of the Isatabith rain forest off to the east. It was an astonishing view that never grew old, it was a view that Drewkel had seen before. Except this time, there was something different about it. As he looked around the mountain side he thought to himself wondering why this time it had all felt so different. Then he realized what was so different about this time, the one thing that made his skin crawl with a chill that he knew wasn't from the wind…the wind! That was it, the wind was blowing much faster than it ever had before. Then in a flash the sky was filled with a neon green that replaced the pearlescent blue of Alderaans sky. Almost as if he had blinked, that image was gone and was now replaced with nothing but the pitch-black void and shimmering stars encircling what seemed to be an asteroid field. In the next moment, his head was filled with echoes of what seemed as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in fear.
"Wake Up!" Drewkel leapt awake—drenched in sweat—by the sudden shout from outside his thoughts. He had had that same dream again. He thought back to as far as he could remember to his childhood when he would awake in terror from that same terrible nightmare. He could never figure out what the dream was about nor could he explain it to anyone. But it was just a dream, it didn't mean anything and he had no real reason to be afraid…right? His attention was now drawn back from his thoughts again to the voice calling him.
"Are you just going to sleep the day away?" Drewkel looked to the window of his room where he saw a young girl with blond hair pulled back into a pony tail waving him to come outside. It was his friend, Sky. Her real name was Skylynor and really anyone who knew her called her that, though he had given her the nickname Sky in their early days as childhood friends and has called her that ever since. They had been friends ever since their first meeting at the University of Alderaan. Both had grown up in families of diplomats and senators, which in turn had lead both Drewkel and Sky to pursue an education to follow their parent's footsteps into politics. Drewkels father had been a well-known senator in the galactic senate before the clone wars and had been distant in most of Drewkels childhood ever since. His mother on the other hand had been a supporter and friend to the Organa family who were the ruling family of Alderaans monarchy, which meant that she too was distant in some of Drewkels life. Although this was very much the same for most of the children of Alderaan, especially those that lived in the capital city of Aldera like himself and Sky.
The city of Aldera was the pinnacle of democracy and debatably the most beautiful city on the planet as well as in the entire galaxy. If not for Coruscant, Alderaan would have been the number one planet in the core worlds for the senate. Though that wasn't the case and may never be, and in the back of Drewkels mind he was happy about that. Like most children Drewkel was enrolled at the University of Alderaan as soon as he could walk and talk. As Alderaan was known for their exceptional traits in art, philosophy, and most importantly diplomacy, education was regarded with the upmost highest standards. However, that was before the rise of the Galactic Empire. Ever since the end of the galactic senate and the emperors galactic takeover Alderaan was known for only two things; refugees and rebellion. Drewkel hated the fact that the empire made the people of Alderaan seem like traitors and extremist. Though that wasn't the only reason Drewkel hated the empire.
"Seriously, are you in there? Earth to Drewkel!" Drewkel looked to the window to see that Sky hadn't wasted any time waiting for him to come outside and had invited herself into his room.
"Can't you see that I am up?" He said with a little frustration.
"Hey, just because your eyes are open and you are sitting up does not mean that you are awake. You do remember that the class debate is today right?" Drewkel glared at her with his frustration growing bigger.
"Yes, I remember the class debate is today, how could I forget the most important day before graduation?" In all honesty, he sort-of did forget that the debate was today, but it was more of a purposeful forgetfulness. In all his years at the University of Alderaan he had never been all that good with the whole diplomacy thing. He had always found that the only diplomacy he was good at was physical diplomacy. Plus, he only needed his two hands and his head to be good at that. He didn't need towers of books or data pads to find a solution to a problem he just needed his wits and—if it really came down to it—his fists. Sky, on the other hand, was much more talented in the whole diplomatic environment, so of course she remembered the debate. Give that girl two worlds on the brink of war and complete genocide and she would get them all sitting around a table and eating out of each other's hands. She was the top of their class and she knew it. Drewkel was on the opposite side of that scale and everyone made sure to remind him, everyone except sky.
Drewkel took a few minutes to get himself into his best formal attire and the two made their way to the university. Though he was hoping for a silent walk to the university, it only lasted so long before Sky started up again, "Please tell me that you took some time to research the Bothan issue on The Way. You know that I can't get through this debate alone…well, I could but that would mean kicking your wastoid butt to the curb!" She gave a quick punch to his shoulder and laughed.
"Let's just say that I skimmed through the documents you sent me." Drewkel threw her a wink. He knew that she absolutely hated when he did that. She knew that this was his way of trying to convey trust and confidence and every time he would do that it would never end well, just like the time he and Sky went rummaging through some old Killik hives in the castle lands.
They were just a few blocks from the university when they ran into two of their classmates, Glenkee and Winden. These two were known as the Holfic brothers and were well known for their pranks and mischievous activities. Glenkee was particularly good at inspiring a crowd though to most he was known for riots and protests. His younger brother Winden was the artist of the two and would paint extravagant murals—more like graffiti—all over the city. Now, Drewkel knew that he could be a trouble maker at the university and wasn't the brightest kyber crystal in a cave but how those two were still enrolled in the university was beyond him. "Who is ready for this debate my friends?! We are about to incite chaos and revolution to these tyrannical enslavers!" Glenkee had apparently started early today on his revolutionary thoughts.
"Keep your voice down! We don't want anyone to think we are actually trying to start a rebellion." Sky said as she reached to cover Glenkee's mouth.
"Seriously, Bro, do you have any idea what they would do to us if they thought we were starting a rebellion?" Winden whispered. Widden was always the careful one, sure he would follow his brother into his crazy protest and even would help him prep for them, but he always had a cautious demeanor about everyone and everything.
"And what if I were being serious, huh? What are the Imps going to do about it? I dare them to even try to lay a hand on me!" Glenkee went on.
"Drewkel, talk some sense into him before he gets us all expelled from the university!" Sky pleaded in desperation.
"Sky, if we were accused of starting a rebellion they would do more than just have us expelled from the university, we would get thrown into an Imp detention center if not killed. And I am with Glenkee, if any imp tried to arrest us here in Aldera, they would have to be a moof-milker. Plus, the Imps are too busy dealing with the real radicals out there actually making a change to even give to nerf-paddies about us."
Even though the empire had practically every planet in every star system pressed underneath their shiny boots, Alderaan was one of the last remaining planets that did not have a strong imperial presence. This was all thanks to Alderaan having their own voice and presence in the Imperial senate with the Organa's daughter Princess Leia as senator. Princess Leia was one of the most outspoken and stubborn senators in the senate and maybe even in the galaxy, and she would not stand for such an insult to the Alderaanian people if the empire tried to show their faces anywhere on Alderaan. For centuries—ever since the old republic days—Alderaan had no military or defenses of note that could pose any threat to the reign of the emperor, and Leia Organa made that well known. The empire wouldn't be that daft to threaten a planet as highly regarded and well loved by hundreds of individuals in the galaxy.
Drewkel had a feeling though that the empire would only keep their distance for only a short time, and he knew that when that day came nothing the Alderaanian people could say or do would stop them from coming. He only hoped that when that day came he would be as far away from his home planet with as many of his family and friends as he could take. Out of nowhere—as if like a chill—he felt a tingle in the back of his head that urged him to move. Drewkel wrenched to his left just in time to dodge a shoulder punch from Sky.
"Seriously, what is up with you today? You've been zoning out every five minutes." Drewkel looked back at her realizing that she as well as the Holfic brothers had stopped dead in their tracks looking at him.
Then as if confused by his own action he thought to himself, 'What was that? How was I able to dodge her punch? And what was that feeling that came with it?' Then he directed his attention to Sky brushing aside what had just happened. "What do you mean? I am fine. I have been all day. Now come on let's get to the debate before we are late." Drewkel started off again when Sky burst out in laughter.
"When have you ever worried about being on time Drewkel? You have been late to both class and debates for as long as I can remember! Now I know that there is defiantly something the matter with you!" She started to laugh again as she walked ahead of him.
As the group of misfits reached the center court yard of the university, Drewkel inhaled a deep breath. He was not ready for this. He was not ready for the only thing that was standing between him and graduation. Sure, he had Sky with him and he knew she wouldn't just leave him on the side of the road for bantha fodder but deep down inside he knew that this was important to her, and he really didn't want to let her down. Drewkel turned to her in one last comment, "Sky, whatever you need me to do tell me now. I can't promise that I will be as helpful as you'd like but just tell me what I need to do." His one last plea for help. He had finally come to realization that he needed her more than she needed him.
She turned to him and smiled, "Just keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. Let me do the talking and watch for my signal to back me up." Then as if reading his mind, she gave him a wink and said, "Trust me." The Holfic brothers began laughing and gave one last pep rally for the group of friends and then headed off to start in their own debate with a wave while walking away with their fists held high in the air and Holfic chanting, "Rebels! Rebels! Rebels!"
The two friends—chuckling and shaking their head—entered the university and began walking through the halls. Moments later, they reached their debate room in one of the higher floors of the university, and when they entered into their assigned room their they saw two Bothans standing in the middle of the room by the holoprojector. In the middle of the room the holoprojector was displaying a star system as well as trade routes passing through that system in different color variations. Drewkel looked over to see Sky and her emotionless face. If not for anything else, Drewkel despised Sky for having the ability to calm her senses in situations that he would begin to stress out. Situations such as this.
