Chapter 9 Waking to a Changed World

Yusano woke in a bed. He grunted, putting a hand to his white echani hair.

"What happened?" he asked himself.

Then he remembered. He, his father Brano and Samal had all been fighting the Sith and he'd been thrown away. Concern immediately filled him. Were they both alright? Had they defeated the Sith or…

"You're awake I see," a voice said.

Yusano looked and saw a man in his forties. He wore a green vest over a white sleeved shirt, Yusano noticed a doctor's band around his elbow.

"What happened?" Yusano asked.

"You were thrown by one of the Sith… using that power they have," the doctor said. "You're lucky you weren't crushed. I put you in a bacta tank when I picked up the wounded. You're lucky I was able to with the Sith in control of the planet now. They must have thought you were dead because they've been shooting any soldier they found alive."

"They're in control of the planet? What about my father and Samal?" Yusano asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know. Well, you're free to go. Time in the bacta tank healed your wounds. But be careful out there, Naboo's not a peaceful world anymore."

Yusano got up and looked around the room.

"Where are my weapons and armor?"

"In that locker," the doctor said. "But I wouldn't put them on. If you do you'll probably- wait!"

Yusano strode over to the locker the doctor pointed at. Inside he found his black Echani light armor, blaster rifle and vibrosword. He immediately began to put it on.

"You'll attract attention from the Sith!" Doctor told him. "Just leave it here and go home!"

"I will not hide!" Yusano ordered. "I'm an Echani warrior, and we do not shy away from battle against those that mean us harm! They might have killed my friend and father!"

"The Sith will kill all that try to oppose them! Don't be stupid!" Doctor lectured.

Yusano snarled, growing impatient. While Echani didn't relish the thought of harming those that meant them no harm they thought low of those that avoid battle against people did mean harm. Only lesser people didn't take a stand against those who meant to harm innocents. Yusano finished putting on the top of his armor.

"The Sith number in the thousands here! Millions across the galaxy! What do you expect to do fight them all on your own?"

"I'll find a way!" Yusano said. "I'll find Samal and we'll join whatever soldiers we can then we'll take this planet back!"

"The army has surrendered, the few remaining soldiers have been put in prisons across the planet.

"The cowards!"

The doctor shook his head. "I think our greatest hope is to wait for the Republic to send more troops. I'm not a fighter like you so I can't help you there. I have dozens of patients right now, and I would prefer not to have to treat you again unless I have to. Please don't do anything reckless, Echani."

With his armor now fully on, Yusano slung his blaster rifle over his shoulder and the purple hilted Echani Vibrosword over his shoulder. He'd go home, there he would find his family. His mother and younger siblings would be there, he hoped. Maybe they would know about his father as well. Master Brano would likely be in prison as well if he wasn't… Yusano didn't want to believe the other possibility.

He walked outside. Sure enough, when he got outside he found Sith soldiers with blaster rifles of their own patrolling the streets. Yusano's Echani blood called him to battle these men who'd conquered this planet which had been his home for many years. The Naboo were a peaceful people, some more warlike cultures like the Mandolorians might have looked down on them. Though Echani were warriors they did not look down on those that were not warriors. To them combat was an art to be perfected. Like using a paintbrush and doing paintings.

Yusano started to walk through the streets, if he could just make it home…

"You there!" a voice called.

Yusano turned.

"Yep… he's an Echani alright," the Sith trooper looking at him said. "Take him!"

Yusano had three blaster rifles pointed at him in the blink of an eye.

"Don't move. Surrender. We've been ordered to round up anyone that could be a potential threat."

Yusano silently cursed. As a member of a warrior based culture, an Echani would automatically be labeled a threat to the Sith occupation it seemed. One of the troopers stepped behind him and stripped Yusano of his weapons while the other two kept theirs trained on him.

"Follow us to the camp. If you cooperate and your background checks out alright we might consider hiring you. You a mercenary?"

Yusano shook his head and spat at the Sith talking. The saliva hit the troopers armored unform. This caused him to kick Yusano in the stomach.

"You'll have to learn some respect. Too the prison then."

Yusano had no choice but to surrender, or so he thought.

"Let him go!" a voice sounded as something made snapping sound.

Then some leapt in front of the two Sith troopers, a blade of blue energy swung through them in the blink of an eye.

"Jedi!" the one about to cuff Yusano shouted.

Then the said Jedi reached out with one hand and Yusano felt himself being pulled to the side as though there were an invisible magnet in that direction. The Sith that had moments ago been behind him reached for the pistol at his hip, but was cut down before he could draw it fully.

The Jedi, a bald young man about the same age and Yusano and Samal with a scar over his left eye looked at him.

"Come with me," he said.

Yusano didn't hesitate in doing so. A Jedi would probably be the best bet to helping him fight the Sith. They were legendary across the galaxy. The Echani looked up to them as fellow warriors who wielded the laser sword that could cut anything. They could deflect blaster bolts, which took incredible reflexes, even the most agile of Echani warriors were hardpressed to do such a thing and had to rely on cover or personal energy shields to protect them from ranged attacks.

The Jedi lead him to a nearby sewer cover, he lifted it with a wave of his hand. The cover came off and both Jedi and Echani entered. The Jedi leapt down while Yusano climbed down the ladder.

The Jedi turned to him. "I'm Jaster Grail, padawan of the Jedi order."

"A padawan? Is your master here?" Yusano asked.

Jaster nodded. "He should be back soon. I was out trying to do some hit and run strikes and find help. You want to fight the Sith right?"

"Yes. My father and best friend Samal were with me the night of the attack. I don't know what happened to them," Yusano said.

"Samal? Samal Dicar?" Jaster asked.

"You know him?"

"I came here with my Master to bring him back to Coruscant so we could prevent the Sith from taking him in. What was the last thing you remember?"

"Well, my father, Samal, and I were all fighting with the soldiers against the Sith soldiers… than three real Sith showed up! One's with the laser swords!"

Jaster gritted his teeth. "They got him then."

"We have to find out where he is!" Yusano said.

"He's probably in the prison with the soldiers. That's where they're keeping anyone that could be a threat," a voice said.

Yusano looked over his shoulder and saw a human male an older one with dark hair. He looked like an ordinary civilian in a tunic.

"Master?"

Master Ogan had stripped himself of his Jedi robes in order to blend in with the crowd on Naboo.

"I've been asking around. Darth Ferocus has left the system to conquer more planets. There's only a few ships in orbit left. I don't think the Sith plan on keeping this planet for long. They're focusing their efforts on mining. They probably want to get as many metals and other resources off this planet as possible before the Republic can take it back. It won't be long before they send a fleet I think. As soon the Republic reinforcements arrive we'll storm the prison and rescue Samal."

I know I said I would post on Saturdays. But I left my laptop charger somewhere so I don't wanna take the chance of it running out of power and preventing me from posting tomorrow. Hope for some more reviews and I will hopefully get another chapter out next Saturday or the one after. More reviews will likely encourage me to get another chapter out sooner so hope to hear from you guys. I welcome a bit of constructive criticism and I thought the last one on a trandoshan and wookie agreeing to work together was an okay point. Though now that I think of that, is segregation really a good answer? That didn't work out too well with black and white humans did it? We need to learn to cooperate I think.