Chapter Two:

I get settled in the storage compartment of the freighter that I snuck onto, hoping not to get caught stowing away. You see, as a slave we receive little to no money.

As I hear the engines I think back to what happened back at the Klatooinian's manor.

As I relished the sight of my former master before me I came to a realization. I killed someone. I seriously killed someone.

"Kriff," I gasped stepping back from my handiwork, "I killed him…"

"WHAT HAPPENED HERE!"

I swiftly turned around to see Lev staring at the body of our former master.

"I-I didn't mean to," I stammered in fright, "he was forcing himself on me a-and I couldn't control myself. I-…."

"Don't," she said with her hand up, "I understand. He deserves what he got."

She came up to me and looked into my eyes, "you need to leave. They will kill you for this."

I nod vigorously knowing she was right. I had killed someone… and I was a slave…. Killing your master is instant death in the eyes of the slavers.

"Ok," I said, "but where will I go? I don't have any money to get off of the planet."

Lev started to pace the room as she thought… then she shot her head up, "That's it…"

"What is," I ask getting worried.

"There is a freighter leaving at mid-day to go to the rebel base, I don't know where exactly that is…. But you could go there and you could get help."

'The rebel base,' I thought to myself, 'I wonder what I would do there.'

Lev started to drag me out of the room, "You need to pack your things, and fast. If one of the other slaves sees him like that they will find you for sure if you aren't gone soon."

I look down at my rags that barely cover my body, "but this is all I have."

She looks down at me and looks at what I am wearing, "Seriously? The two years that you have been here and you have been wearing that? He really did deserve what you gave him."

She then sighed at me as I nodded. Then proceeded to take me to the front doors.

"The freighter will be where he bought you, don't ask me how I know this. But you need to get there as soon as you can. Run if you have to," she stopped and looked at me with her blood red eyes, "and what ever you do…. Don't be seen stowing away on there. They will think you ran away and kill you on the spot."

I nod at her and giver her a hug, "Thank you for being a friend Lev."

"Oh Mei," she said hugging me back, "you are like the pale sister I never knew I had. I hope you find your place in the galaxy."

After that I raced to the business district of town. When I got to the freighter I seen that they had loaded the last of the supplies onto it already. So I ran to the ramp as it started to close and almost didn't make it.

I close my eyes hoping to get some rest...

The jerk of the freighter scared me awake.

'We cant have landed already,' I think as I hear footsteps and yelling from above me.

I decided to hide behind one of the piles of boxes that were being shipped to the rebel base and listen as the crew panickedfrom above. Then I heard and seen the entrance to the freighter opening. As I duck further down I see a dozen men in white battle armor coming on board.

'Stormtroopers?' I think as I watch them go up to the upper area of the ship, 'I need to get out of here before I am caught.'

As I sneak out of the ship I keep a wary eye out for any more stormtroopers coming my way. I look at all of the other ships docked in the large area and think, 'Wow, I wonder where I am.'

I sneak through to the nearest door that I can find when I hear behind me, "HEY! YOU! STOP!"

I start running down the halls, passing past windows showing the vastness of the galaxy, and other rooms that looked like it had people in them. Finally after running for a while, I find what looked to be a broom closet of some sort and hide in there. There are tiny slits that I can see through in the door. I then see the stormtroopers and what looked to be higher officials running past.

'whew,' I think while looking in the room I was in. Sure enough, it was a broom closet. Thankfully I was small enough from not being fed enough to fit in there.

I then hear footsteps coming up to where I am hiding, and I keep watch to see if they were going to come in here. I then see three stormtroopers stop to the right hand side of the door and salute. On my left side I see a tall man in a black cloak and a mask of black streaked with silver lines. He had a cylindrical item on his belt that shined in the light.

"Sir," said one of the stormtroopers putting his hand to his side and the others follow his lead, "there is a female stow away somewhere on board. We haven't located her yet, but are still looking."

"Be sure to find her," said the man in black. His voice sounded deep and metallic from his mask which sent shivers of delight down my spine, "I will look in this quadrant for her. You go to the eastern wing and look there."

"Yes sir," said the stormtrooper saluting as well as the other two, then they ran off the way they came.

The man in black turned around and went to leave… But then he stopped, and looked back over his left shoulder towards where I was.

'Oh kriff,' I thought, backing up as much as I could without making noise, 'he knows I am here.'

The man fully turned back around and said, "You can come out now. I wont hurt you."

I stood there thinking for a monment, 'will he really not hurt me? I mean I am a runaway slave...'

"I promise you, I will not hurt you. No matter if you ran from your masters or not."

'Wait… Did he read my mind,' I thought confused.

He laughed as he said, "I can sense thoughts through the force little one, but I cannot read minds."

At that I started to come slowly out of the closet and looked at him warily. I instantly see him stiffen up as he sees me come out.

"YOU!"

I flinch at him yelling.

"SCAVANGER! HOW DID YOU GET ON MY SHIP!"

"S-scavanger? I-I don't," I start to stammer.

"Don't lie to me," He said angrily at me as he started to stalk towards me, I back away until I feel the wall behind me, "you… you are coming with me."

He lifts his hand and I black out……