Surprise!
Okay, not so much surprise, more like I'm actually updating again XD
I normally update on Saturdays, so please please please stop asking. I updated on Wednesday last time, because it had been a rushed week, and I hadn't had time to do anything else.
Please try to remember this.
Enjoy the chapter!
As soon as the blow connected with his face, Ezra regretted getting onto the ship.
The cadet punched him again, this time much harder. Ezra's eyes watered up, blurring his vision.
"Hey-!" Ezra grunted as the cadet managed to hastily pin one arm behind his back, slamming him against the wall.
"Who are you?!" The cadet barked, with an oddly familiar voice.
Ezra spat a lock of hair out of his mouth, struggling to get a good look at his attacker.
"Hey man, I don't want any- " Ezra nearly choked on his own words as he turned his head.
"What?!" The cadet hissed, tightening his grip.
Ezra tried not to wince as his arm started to ache.
"...Junjie?" Ezra said through gritted teeth.
Immediately, the cadet dropped his grip, leaving Ezra staggering against the wall.
The cadet pressed a button on his helm, which slid up to reveal his face.
"How... how do you know my name?!" Junjie snarled, taking a step away.
Ezra was... stunned, to put it in words.
"You don't remember?"
Junjie's expression instantly melted.
The two boys jumped at the sound of a door hissing open nearby.
Roughly, Junjie grabbed Ezra by the neck and dragged him into a nearby storage room.
"Watch it!"
Ezra batted away Junjie's hand, rubbing his neck.
The cadet didn't bother to apologize.
"How did you know my name?" He questioned in an unfriendly manner.
"How'd you even get in here?!"
Ezra's throat became dry and scratchy. It was painful to speak.
"So... they wiped you too..." Ezra croaked, pausing to wipe a tiny trickle of blood from his nose.
Junjie pursed his lips, softening his expression.
"How did you know that?" He asked quietly.
This time there was a slight waver in his voice.
Ezra swallowed, taking in a deep breath.
"Alright, so this is all gonna sound insane," He began.
Junjie tilted his head and crossed his arms, nodding for him to continue.
After washing his hands of bubbles and grime, Eli lined up in his usual spot beside Risus for the afternoon role call.
The Imperial ship opened up for several stormtroopers marching through.
Risus yelped, hiding behind Eli's good leg.
Eli looked down in surprise.
"What's wrong?" Eli whispered softly.
Risus could only stare at the ship, pointing.
Looking up, Eli saw another man- another Imperial- that he guessed Risus was so afraid of.
The head nurse quietly tapped her heels as she stood patiently.
"Agent Kallus," She said in an overly welcoming voice.
"How nice of you to stop by."
Agent Kallus brushed off a bit of invisible dust on his uniform, a bored expression on his face.
"I have orders from the Empire," Kallus said flatly.
He made a motion with his hand, and the head nurse quickly handed over her scanner.
"They've been fed and well cared for, I assure you." The stout nurse said quietly as Kallus began scanning the children's forearms.
Eli felt a small scowl form on his face.
Liar, He thought to himself.
With the first child, he scrutinized their arms and height.
"They hardly seem ready," Kallus said blatantly, not looking away.
Eli narrowed his eyes, suddenly full of suspicion.
Ready for what?
A few very short minutes later, the sound of Kallus's boots had made it in front of Eli.
He made sure to keep his head low as he held out his arm to scan.
After the scanner passed over his arm, Kallus paused very briefly.
"Hmm."
Agent Kallus crossed his arms, towering over Eli.
"State your name, boy." Kallus frowned.
Eli felt a fleck of spit hit his face.
"Puer," He muttered, not making eye contact.
The Imperial sharply snapped his fingers twice to get the boy's attention.
"Let me see you when you address me, Puer."
The alias rolled off his tongue as if it tasted foul.
Reluctantly, Eli lifted his head slightly.
Irritated, Kallus lifted Eli's chin, turning it in examination.
"You look very familiar..." Muttered Kallus.
Eli struggled to keep his head on his neck.
"I don't-"
Eli's breath froze.
Ezra. He was talking about his brother.
Dropping Eli's chin, he glanced down at the reading on the scanner.
"Ah."
A small grin of amusement crossed Kallus's face.
"So you're that one."
He motioned the head nurse over, who nearly tripped over herself just to walk.
"Tell me," He asked,
"Have you seen anything... unusual with this boy?"
The head nurse looked very uneasy.
"No..." She said quietly.
Eli finally had the sense to start breathing again.
The nurse was afraid of him.
Kallus held that same sour look on his face.
"Are you sure, miss?" He asked again, a touch more sarcasm mixed in.
The nurse gulped.
"I'm quite sure," She squeaked.
Agent Kallus examined her face for about a minute before turning to the stormtroopers.
He silently slid a finger across his throat.
Two stormtroopers marched in and grabbed the head nurse on both sides, dragging her away as she screamed her head off.
Eli's blood ran cold as he heard a single gunshot in the distance.
For a moment, Kallus stood there, looking bored.
There was a jolt of pain in his side as the Imperial threw Eli onto the ground, towards the ship.
"Eli!" Risus's voice shouted out. He heard tiny footsteps as Risus rushed to his side.
Eli glanced up at the child, wide eyed.
"Eli." Kallus smirked, handing his scanner back to one of the nurses.
"So that was your true name."
Agent Kallus made a slight motion with his hand, a small group of troopers stepping forward.
"Take him." Kallus ordered.
Two sets of arms grabbed Eli on either side, pulling him along as if he were a sack of flour.
"Stop it!" Risus cried.
He quickly ran up and tried to push the troopers away, only to be thrown onto the ground as well.
Kallus tilted his head slightly, processing a thought.
"Stop," Kallus lightly commanded just before the troopers could throw him across the courtyard.
Eli weakly eyed the man, ignoring the fiery burn in his side. It felt like he'd been lying on a bed of hot coals.
Everything seemed to pause. Even the nurses were hiding their breaths, at the tips of their toes.
"Take them both."
Swept off their feet, they both were quickly seized to be dragged back onto the ship.
As Eli was slowly dragged backwards, he saw Kallus turn to address the nurses.
"They're ready," He heard Kallus mutter nonchalantly.