Chapter 2

Twenty years later.

The alien yelled at Thrent in its alien language, effectively saying "Get out of here, yer stinkin' human! I don't want your filth here!"

Trent ran back through the alley, the food he stole from the vendor tucked away in his pockets. Behind him Trent heard the alien yell again, apparently noticing that the food was gone, but by that time Trent had long disappeared. He ran back to his home, what used to be a high class apartment building in one of Coruscant's older districts. He and his family, his mother and younger brother, lived in a run down room in the building on the bottom floor. He passed by other occupants, aliens and humans alike, who had been displaced when the Chancellor took over as Emperor.

Trent's father had disappeared many years ago, and when he did his family was forced to run and hide. They came to live in the run down building, in what Trent believed to be one of the darkest places on Coruscant. Trent's father had been part of the early stages of the Rebellion against the Empire, but he was caught and never seen from again.

Now Trent was eighteen and was the provider for his family. His mother could not leave their home because she had to watch out to make sure no thieves broke in, which occurred often where Trent lived. Trent's younger brother, Kirrick, was almost never home. He had inherited their father's fight against the Empire. Kirrick would leave almost every night and come back sometime before the sun rose. He never said where he went but he constantly fought with their mother, who always tried to talk Kirrick out of going. She feared for Kirrick and did not want him to disappear like his father did. But Trent was the caretaker from the family and often had to steal food just so they could survive.

"Mom, I'm back," Trent said as he walked in the front door. "I got the food." The room was lit by only enough lights to see where they were. Other than that the room was dark. It was a modestly big apartment, since it had once been part of an exquisite building. Much of the original furniture, including three beds, a sofa, and a chair, remained though they were very worn. A broken droid hunched over in a corner in the room, the light from its eyes gone out long ago. Fortunately there was still running water and lighting in the apartment. When the building had been closed someone had apparently forgot to turn off the power. Trent's mother, Keira, walked into the main room, where the sofa and one chair were, holding the baby in her arms.

"Thank the stars," Keira said. "You took so long in getting back I was afraid you never would."

"Don't worry, Mom," Trent said as he handed her the food he had stole. His mother went back to the kitchen setting aside the food for later. "They can never catch me."

"But one day they might," Keira said as she looked at her son. "And I don't know what will happen if they ever do."

"I'm too clever for them, Mom," Trent said. "I can tell what they are going to do and how I should sneak in. They never see me until I'm already gone."

"But still you have to be careful." Keira said.

"I know, Mom, I know," Trent said and headed for the door. "I told Brynn and Cor I would meet them. I have to go."

"Ok, say hi to them for me, but please be careful." Keira said.

"I will." Trent said and left.

-

"Hey Brynn. Hey Cor.." Trent said as he approached his two friends. He was meeting his two friends in their usual spot, about a block away from where Granth lived. Their meeting spot was in the middle of where the three lived, since each lived in a different run down area.

"Hey, Trent." Brynn was first to reply. Brynn was the same age as Trent and they had known each other from when they were very little. Before they both had to hide they lived by each other and continued to even after they were forced to go into hiding. Brynn had long brown hair and sparkling green eyes. She wore simple clothes, much like everyone did where they all lived.

"Hey, Trent," Cor said. Both Cor and Trent were the same age as well and both had brown hair. But while Cor had green eyes Trent had blue. "What took you so long?"

"Just getting some food." Trent said.

"Ah, well you know, you should be careful," Brynn said. "You're going to get caught doing that one day."

"You're staring to sound like my mother," Trent said and they all laughed. "Don't worry, they can never catch me."

"And what makes you so special?" Cor asked.

"It's like I can predict what they are going to do next," Trent said. "It's like I know what they do before they do it, and how I can sneak up on them."

"Huh, interesting." Cor said.

"So what are we doing today?" Trent asked.

"I thought we could go find that old man again." Cor said.

"Again?" Brynn asked. "Didn't you do enough to him last time?"

"You mean take his walking stick when he wasn't looking?" Cor said. "And the way he chased me until I threw it back at him? No, why do you ask?"

"Sometimes Cor, you can be a real monster," Brynn said. "I can't believe that you would torture that poor old man like that. I mean he only has one arm."

"Yeah, but it's fun. After all he is just a crazy, old man." Cor said. "Trent, you agree with me right?"

"No, Brynn's right, Cor, you should really leave the old man alone."

"Oh, neither of you are any fun," Cor said jokingly. "I don't know why I hang out with you two."

"Because we are the only friends you have." Brynn said and they all shared a laugh.

"Well, if we're not going to do anything I should probably get back home," Trent said. "I'm sure my Mom is getting worried about me, she always is."

"Ok, Trent -" Brynn started to say but stopped when she heard a loud alarm go off. They all looked at each other. "What's that alarm?"

"Let's go find out." Cor said and they ran off to the flashing signs and lights. They entered into the main street where a large crowd stood in front of a viewscreen. A line of words moved from one side of the screen to the other as a electronic male voice spoke.

"Today at thirteen hundred hours Coruscant time the Rebels have attacked one of our bases. In the fighting the Rebels murdered several Moffs, including Grand Moff Tarkin. The Empire will grieve this day, but not for long. We will strike back at the Rebel insurgents and make them pay for their slaughter of our great leaders."

The transmission abruptly ended and left everyone stunned, with all saying "Do you believe that?" and "About time they make the Rebels pay" and other such things. Soon the crowd dispersed and drifted off, while the three friends started to drift back toward their dark alley home.

"Grand Moff Tarkin is dead?" Brynn whispered to here two other friends as the crowd dispersed. "I wonder how the Rebels pulled that off?"

"Don't know, and probably never will," Trent said and started to slip back into the alley when a slimy hand suddenly grabbed him. Trent spun around and turned to face the alien vendor he had stolen food from before. The alien sputtered something in its language which effectively translated to "Now I got you!"