Happy Independence Day!
I certainly wasn't expecting people to love this story that quickly, but that's just as good as knowing that someone is interested. Since I'm sure everyone wants to get right to the story, I will answer reviews later. Any other questions...just PM me. Sorry for things that don't make since, either my TV is messing up their voices, or I can't figure out half the things they are saying. But maybe you do! So any errors in the lines, say so in your review. Anyways, on with the chapter!
Chapter 2
Aha, found it. A transport headed back to Lothal within the next -
My thoughts were interrupted by an argument outside my room. I crept to the door and opened it, glancing outside. It turned out, no one was outside my door, and their voices were just raised. Figuring it was coming from the kitchen, I crawled on all fours until I was at the door.
"-honestly Varin, the girl has to be kept safe. They sent more stormtroopers to Lothal, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with our meeting. Something tells me it has something to do with those...hooligans." Miralay said bitterly, "everywhere we go, there is always some sort of trouble that comes with us."
"Miralay, you know it is probably because they are a little jumpy. And you can never be too overprotective."
I'm quite sure that isn't true. You can be too overprotective. Like giving a girl a tracing device or giving her a bodyguard for her second month with her new parents.
Miralay and Varin continued complaining, but I had a flight to catch. Creeping around the table I jostled Miralay's cat 'Hissyfit'. Its name was actually Pearl, but the creature hated me. I promise you she tried to tear my hair out when I accidentally stepped on her tail in the dark. Nearly had a heart attack, and if I could, I would have hollered like a TIE fighter.
The cat hissed at me.
"What is it Pearl?" Miralay asked the cat, who looked like a fluffy hissing kitty and not a dignified, well-mannered cat. She continued to hiss at me, but I bailed as soon as my foot touched her paw. She had hopped backwards and started hissing and screeching loudly so I was out of there.
...Some time later, somewhere in Capital City...
Well, that was a close one. Nearly got caught. Hmm...wonder if I'll see the pirates again? Perhaps I can find where they land, or get on a ship and maybe find them in orbit around Lothal? But I'm placing my bets that I'll see them around Capital City.
I stopped, hearing something strange.
"Yeah, we'll catch them that way." A stormtrooper said to his pal, as they walked along the streets, "they won't know what hit them."
Fascinated, I crept closer to hear their conversation.
"Yeah, those rebels are going to fall right into our trap. All you gotta do is spread some rumors and the mice will come out of their hole begging for cheese. Then we'll catch 'em like eagles and take them back to the nest."
Well that's a odd metaphor.
"Heh, I'm glad the ship is still around, I'm part of the crew carrying the 'wookies'. Besides, this will be fun, and I bet I'll be promoted."
My eyes widened. They are going to see the pirates and capture them? No! I have to meet them first! I have to find out whether they are bad or not! I have to get on that ship! In a craze, I rushed into a wardrobe room for female troopers and looked about for a small uniform. I changed into the smallest one I found. It fit a little oddly, but when I got used to it, I couldn't tell the difference. The one thing that saddened me was the fact that I had to leave my bag and my shoes, or else I would look mighty suspicious.
As soon as I walked out the room though...
"Where do you think you are going LS-777? You are supposed to be onboard!"
I froze in place. Surely they don't mean me...
"Yeah you," the female stormtrooper behind me said. I slowly turned around. "Besides, this could be your chance to get promoted! Come on pal!" She grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the transport - which luckily - happened to be the one carrying the 'wookies'. What a stroke of luck. Once inside, the trooper (whose number was LS-715) stopped.
"I'm going to be in the elevator and you'll be flying a TIE in case they escape." While LS-715 walked me to my post, she filled me in on the plot. She was about to finish when the comm crackled.
"Attention everyone," the guy on the comm announces, "we are readying for take off. Time to catch some unlucky fools!"
I sputtered, trying my best not to start choking on my own spit. How dare they say something like that!
...Somewhere in space...
Instead of sticking by the TIEs, I decided to wander around a bit. I was by the cockpit when I heard something strange, putting my ear to the door, I heard something incoming. And then a ship emerged out of hyperspace.
"Imperial transport 651. This is Starboard, coming inbound."
The pilot cocked his head in confusion before one of the agents (by the sound of it), replied, "state your business."
"Bounty. We captured an additional wookie prisoner and have transfer orders to place him with you."
"We have no such orders."
The voice that came in on the other line seemed unconcerned. "That's fine. We already got paid. By Governer Tarkin. If you don't want the oversized monon, all jettison here. Let you explain to your superiors why the Empire has one less slave."
The agent hesitated. Obviously, he was thinking it over. Finally, he replied, "permission to dock. Bay one."
Hearing footsteps headed my way, I hurried back to the TIEs, but my stupid curious self dragged me to Bay 1.
Just a few seconds. You have to see the pirates. No more, no less. Alright Coral? Yeah, something is going to go wrong.
But nevertheless, I managed to hide behind a pillar and waited for the ship to dock. A rough 'bump' told me that the pirates were here. Two stormtrooopers rushed pass me to 'greet' them. I looked around the corner and nearly choked. In the doorway, I saw the same person with the mandalorian armor, the same 'hairless wookie', and...ponytail dude? The only thing new, from what I could see, was a short, orange astromech hiding behind them.
Well this is odd...I didn't know that was actually a rare hairless wookie. And how come no one recognizes the ponytail dude? Well, duh, everyone who saw him died. Not only that...but how did he survive? I saw the wreckage and...
But by now, one of the stormtroopers started talking. "That's not a wookie!"
Yeah, even I don't believe that.
The dude with the ponytail didn't even looked fazed. "Haven't you ever seen a rare hairless wookie before?" He tilted his head in the direction of the said 'wookie'. It gave a little mournful yowl. I shook my head.
The fools who would believe that...But...If it is rare, there's a good chance only a few people have seen one before. And since when were wookies purple? And I don't remember there ever being purple hairless wookies.
The two stormtroopers looked at each other in confusion. Then the 'wookie' said,
"Aww, forget it." He punched both of them and laughed. "Told you they wouldn't buy it."
The mandalorian (I'm assuming) gave a little laugh before replying, "You didn't exactly give them a chance to buy it."
The furry guy laughed. "There's just something about the feel of their helmets on my fist." I gulped. I better get this helmet off me if he sees me.
"Okay, you know the plan, move out." The guy who-I-thought-was-supposed-to-be-dead said. They started making their way inside. I slowly backed away, instead of doing what a real trooper would have did. Shot them or sounded the alarms. At any moment though, the Imperial Star-destroyer was supposed to show up. And I was hoping they would do it before the furry guy killed me...or the ponytail dude shot me.
Instead of going to my post, I hurried to the dock where back up was going to come from. The imperial Star-destroyer had arrived not a second too late. I lined up with the rest, hoping no one would notice me. Then, in walked an imperial agent. The most famous agent known on the system of Coruscant.
Though, that's probably not accurate.
"Welcome aboard, agent Kallus." The officer said, then he began to inform him of the current status of our 'uninvited' guests. "The rebels are headed for the brink. We are quite surprised for this."
As soon as Agent Kallus and his entourage where gone, I decided to see where ponytail dude was. Ditching the armor, I laid it so it looked like I had been knocked out. Then I climbed into the vents and started making my way to where I assumed the brink would be. I pulled out my datapad from when I was downloading a map and started making my way to where the rebels where last seen.
I stopped when I heard a familiar voice. Ponytail dude. I looked through the slits of the vent and watched.
"No guards at the door."
With him, was furry guy. Don't open the door...don't open the door!
"Set the detonator so we can get the wookies out of here." Furry dude said to ponytail dude. "These things seem to be going smoother than our last Op."
Then I heard someone else who sounded familiar...the kid? Well, this is one fine family reunion. The kid, the guy who is supposed to be dead, and the 'hairless wookie' who isn't a hairless wookie, all together again.
"It's a trap! We got to get out here! It's a trap!"
"Karabast!" The furry dude said (he said it as if he was cursing though), "the kid is blowing another Op!"
"It's not an Op, it's a trap, Hera sent me to warn you."
...Hera? Who's that?
The door opened and stormtroopers raised their guns. "Run!" The 'lothrat' shouted, launching something from a...slingshot? This just keeps getting weirder and weirder...
The rebels rush back down the way they came, their new 'paparazzi' chasing them down eagerly. But they didn't get far because the energy sphere from the slingshot hit the bomb and exploded. I started shuffling after them by using the vent and could only hear but so much. Meanwhile, the kid was blabbering in his panic.
"We need to warn Sabine and Chopper," Sabine and Chopper? "But they jammed the comm."
The ponytail dude wasn't even worried. "They'll follow the plan, it'll be fine."
"Yeah, the plan is going just great so far!" The kid seemed real mad know. He didn't even look like he wanted to be there.
I jumped out of the vent, since it ended at the next doorway and hid behind something.
"Don't stop," ponytail said, "push off, now!"
Then, my second sense started bothering me. So I moved from my spot, but it didn't seem satisfied until I was only a few inches behind the rebels, but not to close (unless one of them has eyes in the back of their head). Then the artificial gravity malfunctioned.
"What the?" A stormtrooper said, once his feet was off the ground. In the group of stormtroopers, I spotted LS-715. Ponytail dude shot one of them instantly, luckily, it wasn't LS-715. I was just starting to like her! Then the crossfire started to get dangerous, so I 'swam' to the roof and slowly made my way after them. Ponytail dude kicked LS-715 in the face and started shooting everyone else. Agent Kallus scowled. The rebels quickly made their way through and I followed. I quickly hurried up when I saw Agent Kallus behind me. I'm lucky I had my cloak on underneath, or I'm sure he would have recognized me. I rushed on after the rebels.
"You doing okay kid?" Ponytail dude said to the kid.
"You kidding?" He let got of the furry dude and was left floating, "ah!" He wiggled his arms until he was right behind them. I'm hoping the gravity comes back soon...
"Now!"
What do you know! The gravity is back on! Unluckily for me, I landed on my face, unlike the rebels.
They finally made their way to the Mandalorian and the astromech. It was the first time I heard her/him's voice, but I had already assumed it was a girl.
"Where are the wookies?"
"No. Wookies. Sabine, man the nose gun, Chop," he looked at the unusually short astromech, "tell Hera to take off."
"Uhh...right!" The mandalorian said, rushing off with Chop(per) and ponytail dude right behind her. I look behind me and see that Agent Kallus is looking mighty mean, and is coming in real fast. The furry dude runs faster and pushes the kid, making him stop. He doesn't notice me run behind him and take the other route, though I would have gladly loved to follow the rebels. But today just isn't my day. The kid resumes running, but doesn't get very far. Agent Kallus grabs him. I freeze like a deer in the headlights. What should I do?
"Argh! Let...go!" The kid says, trying to squirm out of Kallus' grip. Some stormtroopers arrive, so I quickly find armor and put it on. I look a little funny, since it wasn't the one I took earlier, and my cloak is still on. I grab the blaster and hide somewhere where I can still watch the fight. The stormtroopers start shooting, though none of the shots hit the furry guy, but I don't think he could take them all down like he did earlier.
I jump out and start shooting all of the troopers, and I point my gun at Kallus. "Drop your weapon or the kid dies," Kallus says menacingly. I growl, and expertly shoot Kallus before he can kill the kid. He drops dead and the kid runs. "Thanks! But why did you do that?"
"Don't ask kid." I reply as I run for it and take off in a TIE fighter.
But all of this is just my wishful thinking, because their is no way I would be able to shoot everyone without being shot and rescue the boy and actually be able to talk.
Instead, the furry guy shouts, "get out of the way!"
Which the kid can't do, since Kallus has him in a choke hold. But nevertheless, the kid replies, "I'm trying!"
"Sorry kid!" His voice is barely audible as he says his last words to the kid, "you did good." Then he presses a button and the airlock closes. My eyes widen. H-He'd leave someone who risked his life for him...how...how...cruel.
The blaster fire stops once he shuts the airlock hatch. I can hear the panicked breathing of the kid, but it is kind of hard, with my heart thumping wildly and all. Never was I so close to being shot in my life. Nevertheless, my second sense is still going off. I slowly make my way as far as possible from Kallus before running onto the Star-destroyer. Once far away from the transport ship, I change into some armor that fights better than the one I took.
"Attention rebel ship, surrender or be destroyed. This is your first, and last, warning." Apparently, when I left the changing room, I found my way onto the bridge. What a surprise. Something explodes and I fall onto another stormtrooper.
"Watch it!" He says. I give him a shrug and then rush the opposite direction, instead of going to see what exploded. Later on, I discovered the kid was being held in a cell not far from where I was wandering.
..A While Later...
I decide to check out where the kid is, but instead, I spot Agent Kallus coming down the opposite hallway. Quickly, I dive behind something and watch him go in. Luckily, the room isn't soundproof. I hear the whole conversation.
"I am Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau. And you are?"
"Jabba the Hutt."
I nearly choke on my spit...for the second (or was it the third?) time.
The kid sure doesn't look like a relative of the slimy Hutt...
"Look, I just met those guys today, I don't know anything!" The kid protests.
"I'm not here for what you know, Jabba. You are here to be used as bait upon our return to Lothal."
Seems I'll be getting a free ride back...nice.
"Bait? You seriously think - wow, you're about as bright as a binary droid. They aren't going to come for me. People don't do that."
There is a short silence. Then Agent Kallus comes up the steps. "Search him, and secure him here."
The two guards on the door go inside.
"Hey! Get off of me!" The kid protests as they grab his bag and start searching it. "Let go!"
After they are done searching him, the kid sits back down and sulks...or thinks of a way to escape. As soon as the coast is clear, I take off my helmet to get some more fresh air. It sure is stuffy in there, and I can hardly see a thing.
After a bit, everything is calm. And then, the kid starts an outburst.
"-And you bucketheads are going to be sorry when my uncle the Emperor finds out you are keeping me here against my own will. I guarantee he'll make a personal *cough* example *cough, cough*." The guards open the door and go inside to check out the kid. My second sense tells me that I better get moving quick in a moment. I back up and wait to hear what happens next.
I see the kid jump out of his cell and wave at the troopers. "Bye guys," he says, before shutting the door. I slowly follow him into an armory room where he takes a helmet and his things back. I nearly push over a suit of armor while avoiding touching any of the guns.
Don't want to spook the kid and make him beat me up...
The kid is listening in on a transmission. I try to cover up my snicker when I hear him say,
"Stormtrooper LS-005 reporting to Agent Kallus."
"Kallus, here."
"Sir...the prisoner's gone."
"What?!" Kallus did not sound happy. Not happy at all. "How did they get aboard?!"
"Sir...the rebels didn't free him, he -"
There was another interruption.
"Agent Kallus, there is a security breach reported in the lower hanger." I took off my helmet. The rebels! But why are they back? Nevertheless, if I don't find a way back soon, this might not end well for me. Besides, I don't want to visit the spice mines of Kessel...
The kid jumped into a vent and began moving. I decided that the best thing I could do was follow. So, a couple of feet behind him, I slowly started crawling. I made sure I was far enough away that I wouldn't run into him, but close enough to see him. I put my helmet back on and heard some strange news.
"I don't know how, but the rebel ship approached without alerting our sensor."
"They came back!" The kid jumped up, but instead, hit his head. "Ow...I...don't believe it."
Well I hope they actually came back. It'll be safer flying back to Lothal with them instead of the Empire if they catch me...
"Order all stormtroopers to converge on the lower hanger. I'll meet them there."
"This is trooper, LS-123 reporting intruders in the upper hanger. Sir, I believe the lower hanger is just a diversion."
"Maybe...maybe not. Squad five through eight, divert to the upper hanger, the rest converge with me."
"Well...every little bit helps."
Wow, the kid really is smart. But can he really get out without being spotted? And can I even possibly hitch a ride with the rebels without being caught? I should have thought this through...
He continued crawling through the vents and I followed behind him slowly. We continued climbing through the vents until I heard some familiar voices.
"-And this time, try not to leave until everyone's back aboard."
"That was not my fault!" I watched the kid jump out of the vent and I slowed down, watching from above.
"Well - that's debatable."
The big guy stopped in surprise, before punching the kid. I flinched.
"First you ditch me, then you hit me?!" The kid says angrily, after getting back up.
"How was I supposed to know it was you? You were wearing a bucket!"
Now I should REALLY get this helmet off...
I took it off and pushed it ahead of me and started to climb down. I jumped down and they jumped a little bit, but before they could question me, troopers arrived. As I rushed by them, I heard ponytail dude say,
"Spectre 1 to Ghost! We're leaving!"
I would have let out a scream when a shot was only a few inches off my left, but I couldn't. Fear drove me faster, and without thinking, right into the rebel ship. I only saw a blur of green before I launched myself in a small room and the door shut behind me. There were some loud jingling, I can guarantee you that. I hear laser fire, and can slightly make out what everyone is saying.
"Oh no! This time, you go up first!"
"Ghost, raise the ramp!"
In a few moments, I hear something shut and the ship takes off. Then I hear a loud explosion.
I think everyone forgot about me, because it is eerie silent. I try to open the door, but there isn't a doorknob on the inside! Uh-oh...I think I just locked myself in here...no...wait! A vent! I search my pockets for something and pull out a hairpin. I bend it and slowly try to get the screws out. It breaks as soon as I try to loosen up a screw. Seems like I've locked myself in here. I sit down on the floor and sigh. Will I ever get out?
I hear some voices a few minutes later. There's got to be about four people out there.
"Try not to get dead. Don't want to carry your body out." I hear something open (presumably the ramp) and then some silence. A moment later, I hear blast fire, and then something howling...TIEs!
I start banging my fists on the door. If this is Lothal, I'd rather die seeing the grass then get blown up in a dark room. The door miraculously opens and I tumble out. Not seeing anyone, I quickly climb the ladder. I stop at a door and hear a voices on the other side.
"I can't maintain position!"
"Go! Lead the TIEs away and give us open maneuvering room!"
"I am not leaving you behind!"
"No, you're not. We're running a twenty-two pickup."
A twenty-two what? What is that? Then some voices join in on the conversation.
"Seriously?" - "Do you have a better option?" - "Jump into the pit and get it over with!"
"Alright, I'll be back. Make sure you are ready."
I look behind me and see the orange-domed astromech plugged in, but I have no idea what it is doing. It looks at me and gives me a few beeps. I have no idea what it said, but it sounded angry. Then the door I was eavesdropping behind opens. Stinking motion sensors...
Turns out, I'm in the cockpit. I have no idea who is flying, but the barrel rolls and flips and stuff are making me a little queasy. I slowly make my way forward, until I have my hand on a chair. Then, the pilot acknowledges my presence. And I stare right into the eyes of a green-skinned twi'lek.
"I thought - who are you? And how did you...wait?" She turns away and we take another spin and I nearly lose my balance. She looks back at me. "You look a bit to young -" she looks ahead again, just narrowly avoiding us crashing into another annoying TIE "-to be a stormtrooper. And if that's true, what are you doing in that getup?"
Of course I can't reply, so I sit in the chair and look about for something.
Hmm...I wonder if this is Hera. I mean, Sabine is that mandalorian girl, Chopper is that astromech...but who are the other three? I'll find out maybe...
"Never mind, you can tell me later. But I recommend you get out of that before someone shoots you." She makes the ship do a flip. Though my eyes are sparkling and my head is shooting fireworks for meeting a rebel (the pilot in particular), I wish I knew her name. But heeding her advice, I go find a room and change out of the armor, and straighten my cloak and clothes. Unfortunately...I left my original shoes in that bag somewhere in that stormtrooper base. Ugh...
I hurry back into the cockpit and sit in a chair as we fly about, trying my best not to be flung out of my spot, or touch anything. We fly back into the atmosphere of Kessel? - and fly over a battle. I see a blue speck, and when we get closer, I realize that it is a...lightsaber? And ponytail guy is holding it?
Did he steal it from a jedi? But don't the jedi not exist anymore? Aren't they dead and...
The twi'lek cuts me off by turning on the comm.
"Magnetic seal locked."
Then the next thing I know, we are out of there and in hyperspace.
Phew...I thought I was a goner. Hope we are going back to Lothal now. And what were we doing at Kessel anyways?
"So...now that we aren't about to be shot down by TIEs - not that it'll be happening anytime soon - why don't you tell me your name?" She says. I look down.
Huh...how am I supposed to make her guess Coral? I mean, the sea and things and...why don't I just use my more 'preferred' name Jingle?
I stand up and point at the bell.
"Bell?" I shake my head no. I start jumping up and down to get it jingling.
"Uhm, Berry?" No! "Penelope?" No! "Elizabeth?" No! "J...Jenny?" Facepalm. Nope. "Jingle?" Yes! I vigourously shake my head up and down, making a great racket that makes the astromech from earlier come in and makes some rude or angry sounding beeps.
"Chopper...that's not nice." She turns back to me. "Your name is Jingle?" I nod again. "So...you have parents...right?" I nod. "Do you know where they are?"
I try to think of something that would get her to thinking one of Lothal's neighboring planets, but I can't. I act like I'm writing on something, then I look at her. Have anything I could write on?
She gets the gist and reaches under her seat and hands me a pen and paper.
'One of the top hotels not far from the planet Lothal. I don't recommend you drop me off personally, my parents would probably pass out. Actually, Miralay would. And I'd be fine walking to Capital City and finding a transport there.'
I hand it back to her and she nods. The ship slows down and a ship docks with 'ours'. I give her a questioning look.
"Oh, it's not an imperial transport, don't worry."
When we finally get back to Lothal, I leave my suit of armor in the room I nearly got myself locked up in. I turn off the transmitter and toss the helmet in after the rest of the uniform. Before anyone else sees me, I run outside, looking for a name on the ship. I don't see it anywhere. Oh, well, but I'll never forget the experience, or the ship. Especially Chopper.
When I get back to the hotel, Miralay is on the verge of flipping out.
"Coral Zinnia! Where in the galaxy is your shoes? Where were you? Why are you so wild? Why can't you be a proper lady for once?!"
I shrug.
"Your father has no idea where your shoes are and you've been gone for hours!"
It was true. It was about 10 o'clock when I arrived back - because there was a long delay at the transport station, and I had to be searched for weapons before boarding -, and when I left it was about five. I had missed my dinner, and definitely missed my opportunity to act like I was in my room. They had searched it inside and out, the whole hotel, the station...everything. There wasn't anything I could say...literally.
I'm really sorry. But visiting (and talking) with the rebels was surprising! Though next time I go, I really need a weapon. Everyone else had a weapon. Ponytail dude, furry guy, kid, mandalorian, pilot and the astromech (I think)! But I can't carry a gun around...I'm sure my friend could design one. Or I could go to the weapon shop and personalize it myself. I'll need a lot of credits to bargain with the guy and get what I want. After all, I can just guarantee he or she is going to say, 'aren't you a little young?'. But those greedy people could care less if you hand them about five hundred extra credits.
Miralay gave up with me, since I didn't react. I was in deep thought, but she grounded me for a week. I'll be grounded for a year by the time this is over, because Miralay...I met a rebel, and I'm going to keep doing it until we are BFFs!
And yet again, Coral is in trouble, but this time...she lost her shoes. Happy Independence day! I hope you are having plenty of fun either visiting friends and family, eating at a cookout, reading fanfiction, or just setting off fireworks! Please review while Coral paints something red, white, and blue, sets off an explosion instead of fireworks, and stays cool - for the 4th of July. It's kind of funny, but I'm referring to today as 'Empire Day'! Even though the rebels don't have their freedom there, they'll get it eventually! Hope you enjoyed, and please leave your opinion of the story!
Yours truly,
AuthorPen11