Tales from the outer rim

by Will453

The outer rim, far from the politics of the Galactic core, It has seen the changing of hands of empires, orders and he republic. There has been one law in the outer rim, that all occupying forces, crime families and average men are forced to follow. Might Is Right. The stories of the outer rim are not one's with hero's and villains, just those trying to see the sun rise again.

1. Chapter 1

Star Wars: Tales from the Outer Rim

We Lost

At least one person died a second on Tatooine. That's if I'm being generous. I luckily wasn't one of them. I watched a Gungan blow his brains out with my old slug thrower everyone banged their glass on the table, knocking back our Jawa Beers. I grabbed my revolver and emptied the chamber. The credits of the at least the thousandth person on Tatooine to die was split between the three of us. I loaded another bullet into the chamber, spun and placed the weapon of now the table of three. The drinks were refilled by the Twi-lek bartender as I leaned back, placing my feet on the table. The others around me were human, the man opposite was my bounty. Dead or alive, worth more to me alive, but if he lost. I still got the bounty, and his winnings. I was fortunate to have the Gungan's body grabbed by security and taken out back. Thrown outside for the wildlife, his voice was annoying. I reached for the cigarette in the centre of the table, putting a gun to your own head came naturally to few. A last hit of nicotine before pulling the trigger was customary. I struck a match on my beard, watching the embers float, landing the table with already a hundred burn marks from a hundred different men doing the same thing. The ceiling of the bar was obscured by smoke, Illegal but when every third person was doing it, no one would bother to fine us all. The first order wasn't going to stop us. Not after they lost the war. The republic had the core, The outer rim, even in the days of the empire couldn't be tamed, from what I was told. I offered the packet to the man at the table, who took one, and my bounty raised his hand, shaking it.
"Y'know smoking's bad for you." My bounty was older than me, even with his head given the military shave, I could see the patches of grey, and wrinkles in his grizzled face, the eyes a faded blue with bags underneath them. His face appeared to have been stretched without the elastic to pull it back. I chewed the stick, unable to hide my grin. I pointed to the loaded revolver on the table.
"No worse than a hole through your head." The bounty reached for the revolver, feeling it's weight.
"That's different. See this." He pointed the weapon at me and my eyes widened for a second. His finger moved into the trigger guard. "Your smoking is slow, ruins your lungs, deteriorates your body so you can't fight. This slug thrower is quick."
"So make it fast, but if you click. You're paying." My bounty pulled the trigger, and the hammer moved forwards with a click. I banged the cup on the table taking a large drink.
"Pay up, double for pointing it at me." The third human's eyes were wide, they took their credits and won, watching me open the revolver. The bullet was in the scratched chamber. Three more clicks, then he'd have shot me. "So, you're keeping fit to fight? Wars over friend."
"War's never over. Just fight over different things."
"What's your reason?"
"Self-defence." That was rich coming from the man who worked for the faction that had destroyed multiple planets. The evidence was on the back of his neck. I ran my hand over my jacket, making sure the collar was up.
"Why would the victor need to defend himself."
"Because I'm Human, in a galaxy we used to rule, now they treat us like pests."
"Just you IN-6529." The ex-storm trooper's hands on the table clenched into fists. His hand moved back slowly towards the table's edge. I took the cigarette from my mouth and pressed it into his skin, leaving a black mark. "Hands above the table." The bounty spoke through bared teeth.
"Do I get to know the name of the man who's hunting me?"
"Ace Corsair."
"That's a fake name."
"You took my real one." I pulled back the hammer, the chamber spun, the scratched cylinder clicked into place. "Now I recommend coming with me, or I'll take more than your name."

I got careless; the table wasn't bolted down. My Mark kicked it forwards, sending the credits everywhere and in a bar on Tatooine, that always got attention. I landed on my back, scrambling for my weapon, through the people, one of the bastards stepped on my hand. I found the slug thrower. I could see fast moving feet but couldn't take my shot, too many people on the ground reaching for credits I had to push past. I burst through the door, forcing anyone out my way into the desert. I pointed my weapon out The streets empty, lit up by the burning lamps on the street, and I couldn't see the target running. I crouched down to the sand, his footsteps where there, though the prints suddenly stopped. I doubt he could fly, too bulky for that. He had already grabbed the collar of my jacket before I could react and threw me against the wall. I felt the cold wind on my neck, as it was exposed to the world.
"AC-0451, You're a flyboy." I clawed at his arm, managing a few short breaths before he tightened it again, and Iet out a shrill gasp, hands going loose. "Never thought we could go traitor." I felt my head grow lighter, as if he were going to decapitate me with my arm. I opened my jaw to scream, fingers, just barely to get underneath the arm. I pulled it far enough to breathe, a rush of oxygen flowed through my head. I had the energy to clamp my jaw on his arm. The pain was enough for me to slip out, dropping to the floor. I crawled, seeing a shimmer of gunmetal, kicked away by the ex-trooper. He grabbed my leg. My nails in the sand didn't help. His knee was dropped on my back, screaming through my teeth, the pain shot through my body pinning me. "For traitors, the sentence was death." He was going off the first order rulebook, He reached for my slug thrower. My hands balled into fists in the sand. My body kicked over so I could stare down the barrel of my own gun. "Won't click this time." One hand threw sand, the other reached for the gun, as the flash illuminated the street, and bang echoed over the chirps of crickets. My ear given a piercing. The pistol was mine though. I put a round in the rat's leg and watched him hold it, hissing in pain. I stood up, feeling the blood trickle down my neck. Non-lethal, though I did hear a ringing. A swift kick was all it took to bring him to the foot. A rat trying to scurry away despite the wound. I watched the eyes staring back at me. I had to remind myself, He was worth more alive.
"I wouldn't run if I were you, that's an open wound, and if a doctor see's that mark on your neck well. They might rub the wrong thing into that hole, I wouldn't want acid instead of bacta. I could stop the bleeding though." I reached for rope, flipping the rat over, primitive but it worked.
"AC-0451, were you there on the final day?" I pushed the wound with my fingers, to set his nerves on fire before bandaging the leg.
"Names Ace. Get up Rat, or this gets a lot more painful." I reached for the rope and picked Rat up by his arms, shoving my prisoner forwards, watching them hobble forwards, nearly dropping to a knee.
"Tell me, why were you when we lost the war."
"We didn't lose."
"Tell that to the republic."
"I'll defend the humans of Tatooine, that's what the order stood for."
"Shut it." Rat didn't take my advice, repeating word for word what I knew he would say before he said in. The hundreds of hours standing at attention rallies. The speech drilled in while we marched, our hundreds of footsteps in unison made the sound of drums. all addressed by a man in dark grey uniform. We stood in rows, helmets on, an identical force, we even stood the same. All with the same buzzcut as Rat. Our gate was identical too, I walked in the same imprints Rat made in the sand. The Galaxy was ours, and it shall be again.' The words played my head. 'You brave few who stand for the first order of humanity, we look after our own, from the species that hate us and harm us for taking what is rightfully ours. Together, we will take back what was stolen from us.'
"Shut up, Shut up." I forced his back against the wall, shoving the barrel into his mouth. "Not another word. You think they looked after us? Where were they when we crashed, After Exegol?" Rat moved his mouth letting out a few muffed words coming clear when I removed the metal from his mouth. He was worth more alive.
"My squadron would happily have taken you in. You and I have the same problem."
"My problem is you're still talking." I smacked Rat in the back of the head.
"And you need a ship. We have one." I paused my strike., the streets empty, I couldn't have misheard it. A ship, a way of this dusty bowl of nothing. I just needed a way to get it. The amount of people that owned a ship on Tatooine was small. Not many chose barren wastes willingly. Rat was offering a way out. I crouched down next to him, staring him down.
"Why haven't you flown away?"
"Me and the boys are infantry. You're the pilot." I needed the money. I picked Rat up and shoved him forwards. His eyes didn't waver, his voice the same pitch, he was either a great liar, or telling the truth. I would have played poker, had gambling been allowed in the first order. We made bets, but no cards. We had a box at the end of our beds to store our trophies, and whatever we could take planet side.

The republic took up residence where the first order had dug in years ago. The order's insignia was burned off, they had not replaced the cover. The transport at best another two weeks out with more troops and supplies. Until then the republic was using the carcass of the old occupying force. My pistol in the small of Rat's back. A good reminder for him to shut up and limping to the guard. The two of us met with the baster's barre pointed at us. The most common form of Hello.
"Not one step further."
"Relax. I got another ex-trooper." I kicked the back of Rat's leg, forcing him to the floor. "Check the back of his neck."
"And while you're at it, look at my captor's." I kicked Rat into the sand, rubbing his face in it, exposing the back of his neck.
"AC-0451, I took the amnesty." The blaster was still pointed at us though. I raised my hands, They didn't exactly roll out the carpet for me. shoving me inside like Rat. The outpost was old military, familiar from the one's I'd stayed in. Blaster rifles were locked behind maglocked cage's, The walls were metal despite the stone exterior. The republic dressed like the war never ended, adorning old armour that still had the burns and dents from battle. A few still awake even this early. A hand forced me to the floor so they could peak under my collar. A silver-plated protocol droid scanned the back of my neck. The clanker nodded and continued it's tiny, steps. The droid whispered to the female Rodian. I could see my reflection in her eyes. My wild dusty hair, a faded scar over my eye. I needed to wash more, but showers and baths required water. The rhodian leaned closer, I could see the green scales, pointed ears and mouth pointed out to a permanent pout.
"So, do I get paid?" Rat spat in my face. My hand hit his stomach, before he could call me a traitor, Ex-troopers always did The rhodian nodded her head and opened her safe, grabbing a bundle of galactic credits, I had to catch.
"Get out of here bounty hunter." I held the wad at eye height, it was real. The cells were small, A bed to sleep on and a bucket to do one's business. The black bars opened, and Rat shoved inside. I ran my fingers over the bars, watching him slump on the bed, hunched over staring at his feet.
"Where's he off too?"
"Gallows." The Marshall stepped back. "When transport comes to take him with the others."
"Bounties for Stormtroopers, dead or alive."
"Can't make an example out of a corpse. They had their chance."
"This your choice, or the republic's?" The Rhodian stared me in the eye, her invisible eyelids blinked horizontally.
"You were a stormtrooper. You think the things you did should go un-punished?" I placed the credits in my pocket.
"I think mine's different." I stepped out into the night again. The night was still young. I had credits to burn, the first sun hadn't risen yet.

The best way to burn through credits in Tatooine was the night markets. The darker products came out at night. I ducked into the alley, heading down into a bowel, concealed by taller buildings. Men and woman, disguised by bandage's, head pieces and bandanas wrapped around their face. The first order couldn't stop this. The republic couldn't. Stands were barely that, pieces of wood hammered together with nails sticking out. It was certainly interesting to see the second-hand weapons sold. keys paired to stolen speeders. The death sticks were looking tempting though. Cheap death sticks would lead to my expiry. The night market wasn't the right place for clean drugs. What I wanted was a metre tall brown robe, with big yellow eyes staring back at me.
"How's the night been Jack?" The Jawa opened their mouth, it took a second for the word to come out.
"Eh." I paced the credits on the table.
"Let me make it better." I slapped away the Jawa's hand before he could take my money off the table. "When I get what I want, not a moment before. I want something to go boom."
"Boom?"
"Yes, boom. My ship crashed here with payloads. I know you salvaged them."
"Why?"
"Do you want to know?"
"No. Not cheap."
"No family discount?"
"Not family."
"Consider it repayment for letting you scrap my ship." The Jawa muttered something in its native language, shoving the scrap on the table in a bag. Six months wasn't enough time to learn the language, not that I could, I couldn't even pronounce Jack's real name. The Jawa handed me the bag as I threw it over my shoulder, it was almost as large as him. I'd have a day to get this done. The sky had become a deep cloudless blue, with a hint of orange. The first sun was starting to rise. Jack had a thing outside of town built from scrap metal. It avoided getting stolen from how it was made for a Jawa. It was less than a metre high and on tracks. There was no roof as Jack climbed in. I should have bought a speeder. I lay over the tracked bathtub. The bag rested on my stomach, balancing my feet over the edge. The crawler moved forwards over the sand, I had to grab onto the sides to not fall off over the dunes. I saw the giant sand crawler at the sand hill's peak. It's beige rusted exterior block on wheels, taller than any building on Tatooine. The lopsided pyramid, where the cock pit sat, at the top. The front of the vehicle lowered, like the bay doors of a dropship, revealing the hanger. A few of the tracked vehicles in the bay. The first thing I noticed was the smell. I'd grown used to it eventually, but after weeks outside, the musk of these creatures yet to discover the luxury of deodorant made my eyes water, It was similar to the barracks after our six mile run up and down a hill. My boots made a twang on the metal deck. The light inside dim and flickering, but that wasn't the main source of illumination. That would be the sparks from a welder, then that very scavenger being on fire. A blanket was quicky thrown at them, heavy enough to force the extinguished creature to the floor. The once ignited Jawa hastily went back to welding scrap over the holes in the old C.I.S droid. The doorways were too tall, for the little guys in repurposed vessels, they could walk side by side in the corridors, but I had to step over them.

I looked over the catwalk, hearing more Jawa's cry out down in the engine room, repairing it again. The heat could be felt from the few pieces of empty space, even then the cooling vent had been repurposed as a walkway , it was almost as bad as high noon in the dessert. The main hall was up ahead, what was there before had already been melted down, the heat from the engine room useful for the furnace. The few bits of furniture were used for storage, though with all the wire cutters, fusion batteries. I wasn't watching where I was going, bumping into a gonk droid simply wandering.
"So, will I need to get you anything?"
"We, prepared." It was further up, past the bunks, The odour worse there, all sixty slept in as little space as they could. I needed endurance to reach the weapons locker. Jawa's had, passed their Ion basters, in a corner were weapons for the worst-case scenario or sell to the highest bidder. I was one of them. The old ion torpedoes could make a few explosives. Jack passed one disc with blinking lights, The centre was a timer stolen from a civilian egg timer, a device that wasn't reliant on batteries. Two of them cost five hundred credits. I sighed and placed two thirds of my bounty into the greedy hand.
"No kill."
"I need kill."
"No kill." I
"What is it anyway."
"EMP." He said the acronym as a word.
"Fine." It would be a walk as I stood in the hanger again. I took a deep breath in, seeing the first sun rise, the second would soon follow. I checked my pockets for essential's, explosives, water and weapon. I began to descend the ramp, hayed by a tug on my jacket.
"Where go?"
"Off planet, if all goes to plan." I looked up at the stars, what was left of them as the sun's continued to hide them.
"Why? Ace, Stay."
"And die on this planet? No thank you." I removed Jack's hand from my coat. "I'll send you a picture, Imagine it, surrounded by Twi'lek girls, a wall of credits on Coruscant." I set off into the dessert. The Jawa's had taught how to walk on loose sand, tread lightly and push back, sinking made it harder to walk and the sand would easily push you back half a step in every stride. The marshal's building was on the edge of town. I enjoyed the view while I could, I would enjoy it more from space. I turned back to see a plume of black smoke of the crawler. The door had closed, and the tracks began to move. I didn't hear the engine's fade though, in fact it got louder. The large crawler was creeping away. The tiny tracks, lead up the dune.
"It long walk." Jack appeared by my side.
"It's going to be dangerous."
"I not die, in dusty planet." The ride was easier than a walk. I had two disks in my pocket, waiting outside the town. The second sun had revealed itself. I wrapped a piece of cloth around the lower half of my face, Jack's tracks couldn't take us fast enough, I had a plan B, in case I needed a getaway. My problem was answered at the marshal's building in the form of an old x-34. I watched it glide over the sand, before gently landing, those three engines would get the job done. My face broke into a smile, turning to the Jawa. I picked him up by the collar.
"How good are your hotwire skills?" They'd deliver the speedster's maybe in a few weeks. I decided to have some fun, the E.M.P inside my coat. I reached for a bandana and wrapped it around my face. I grabbed Jack by his hood and placed him in the speeder.
"Should the E.M.P effect get through the wall?" Jack shook his head, The plan was falling apart already.
"Photon torpedos are explosive, why did you not make a bomb?" My mouth was too loud, hearing the Marshall's voice.
"Hands up." She took a step closer, pressing the barrel into my back. "That speeder's republic property. Want to explain what the Jawa's doing inside of it."
"My bounty. Little thing chewed my arm and tried to get away." I felt the marshal's hand around my collar. "Knew you' come. No such thing as an ex-trooper." I turned around, hands in the air. "With me." She reached inside my coat pocket, finding a knife, my slug thrower and one E.M.P My coat was too light, my eyes looked back to see Jack, with one in his hands. He took cover, scavenging, a few things, in their pocket, jumping over the disc. Jack wasn't saved though. A republic soldier picked them up by the scruff of their cloak and shook as the credits and Ion blaster fell to the floor.

I got a good look of the inside of the building we were taken through the old outpost, a second cell with one bed. Prisoners weren't really the norm in war. The lack of chambers in this outpost was a product of that, both Jack and I were thrown in the same cell. It was the first time I heard Rat laugh, while I was contained with the gunmetal walls. I was forced to watch them open a locker to throw my weapons and hard-earned credits inside.
"The Force must be feeling mighty vengeful today."
"You ever shut up Rat?"
"Got nothing to do but talk."
"Await the glorious death we were promised."
"I hope they kill you first."
"Same, last thing I want to see before I die is your face." Jack held onto the bars, staring at the locker. He tapped his finger on the bar, each one an identical time apart. I had to stand for what passed as a bed in prison, seeing the speeder, still sat there. The guard banged on the door, to get me down. Staring at me he couldn't see the blue wave erupt from the locker, emitting the sound of two powerful magnets rubbing together. The timer went off, and the locks clicked out of place. I opened the door smiling to the Houk. Not a winning smile as he swiped at me with his baton. I ducked under and punched his stomach, feeling pain shoot up my arm. The muscles were like punching wall. The baton struck my arm with a crack. My eyes could watch the Houk, glancing past it to see Rat's cage open, dragging his body out. Jack ducked, under the beast. None helped as the baton was pressed against my neck, pinning me to the wall. Jack actually helped Rat, as I watched him open a locker. My credits. I heard the noise of blaster fire. The baton loosened and I was free. The creature fell down, a smoking hole in its head.
"You could have shot me."
"Shut it." Rat threw me my revolver and took cover on the other side of the wall, holding the blaster pistol close to his chest. Footsteps were coming down as he took a deep breath. I made sure I had all six rounds. Jack took cover behind me, hugging my leg. Rat nodded and raised a hand, with three fingers. The footsteps could be heard up the corridor, a shooting range in case prisoners tried to escape. The lights flickered back on, all the locker and cell doors shut. Two fingers. We heard them talking. I had to resist the urge to peak. One finger. I had to control my breath. Rat closed his fist. We turned the corner. He shot three times; I fan fired my revolver. My gun was left smoking, with two bodies in front. I spun it around, holding the barrel in front of my mouth and blew the smoke away. Rat rolled his eyes.
"Didn't even hit your shots flyboy." The blaster burns had pierced the chest twice and head once. My slugs. Well only one managed to hit the wall. Rest were scattered around the body. Jack looked away, stepping over the bodies while I reloaded. Rat checked the corner's, a speeder was missing, the marshal must have left. "In the Infantry we learned to aim. Guess it's harder to miss a ship."
"Cocky for someone limping. You going to even make it to your ship?" Jack was already climbing into a speeder and underneath the driver's seat messing with the wire's. Rat was riding shotgun. They didn't see the riches in front of them. I took watches, rings, and whatever was in the corpses pockets, a good hundred credits, as well as grabbing what they'd paid me. I looked up to see a camera staring down at me, the red dot revealing someone would see this, or they were watching.

I sprinted out the building, Jack, trying to match the wires together. I was in the driver's seat, having to lift my legs up for the Jawa to work.
"Hurry up, they saw us." I could hear the sound behind me of an engine, pushing against the sand the low hiss of a speedster. I tapped rat's shoulder with him rolling over, to face behind. He fired a shot as the speeder suspensor's activated.
"Keep her still?"
"And Die? Punch it, Jack." Jack pressed the pedal, and I grabbed the wheel, nails dug into my skin, jerking backwards at the acceleration, a baster bolt soared over my head. I turned towards the dunes, making Rat miss another shot.
"You're meant to be a pilot. Steady, I said Steady!"
"Spacecraft, not speeder." I felt the heat of the blaster, shooting by my side, risking singeing my beard, the smell of ozone constant, with the trading light. The feet above the cockpit and Jack unable to see the dune arriving meant we couldn't break. It was the closest I'd gotten to flying in too long. Rat had some airtime, before we hit the floor, digging into the sand. A shot hit the speeder, but it wasn't a blaster. I was going too fast to checked but Jack was too busy trying to kill us. Rat squeezed the trigger, hitting the marshal's engine. Over the second sand hill and we were left with open desert. Rat turned over and wiped the sweat from his brow. I nudged Jack, he crawled between us. He would hopefully stop any blows between me and Rat.
"So your ship.""
"Why did you hand me in to rescue me." I reached for the credits, pushing them into Rat's hand.
"No hard feelings, now you have some money, and a pilot." Rat threw the credits at me. He was about to climb out the speeder.
"You're a traitor, I'll find another pilot." I pocketed his unwanted money.
"I'm the only chance you have. Let's say you survive the desert, survive the Tusken raiders, Sarlacc, Krayt Dragon's, and the two suns. You're a wanted man. I'm the only pilot you got." Rat paused and turned to the blaster in his hand. An infantry unit on their own. He shook his head, sitting back down. The weapon on their lap, pointed at me.
"Try anything like that, I'll shoot you and your alien friend. The ships in a junk yard, North of town." I tapped the compass and pressed down on the pedal, speeding across the sands. The signals for radio didn't stretch far enough out to the desert, leading to a silent ride. I had to sing an old song the other pilots taught me, that stopped when Rat threatened to punch my throat. He was lucky he had what I wanted. She was protected by mounds of trash, and scrap metal. A Voice called out from the mound.
"Halt." Rat raised his hands, without a weapon, he kicked me to do the same. "Thunder."
"Flash." Rat called back.
"Welcome back IN-6529." The wannabe stormtrooper stood up waving, their armour was dirty but didn't show any signs of battle damage.
"Head down, don't make yourself a target." Rat called out as we entered the camp.
"Yes sir. Sorry Sir." I had to park the speeder and slip in through a gap, lead b y Rat, I could see a few glints of colour, a hint of brown rust there, a little bit of faded yellow. I was I, the centre of the scrapyard, and there she was. A beauty.

Lorona's very own out system star vessel. My eyes were wide, despite, being half submerged in sand, I could see her beauty, The cockpit to the rear it looked out onto the nose of the ship, longer and larger than most but that was for one reason. Explorers had to be prepared for anything, the interior of the nose as I ran towards the end, I looked into the barrel of a high-powered plasma railgun. Wings folded up to appear like three dorsal fins on the side and roof. Armed with Mega blasters and tubes for proton torpedo's, all while able to house six people. The nose had a purpose though, running my hand along it, I couldn't go ten paces without running my hand over a manoeuvring jet. At the end Ion drives to push the thing through space on the back of each wing. The yellow faded yellow, stripes on the side broke the faded orange body.
"What's her name?" I asked Rat, who disciplining a soldier that couldn't even grow a beard yet.
"It doesn't have one." Rat reached up, pressing a button as the ramp lowered. Jack walked around the trooper's, staying close to my leg. He was the first up the ramp, I followed shortly after. The explorer's craft had everything needed behind me, though granted a crash would ruin everything in the cupboards, but burners for food. A holo table in the middle of the kitchen, and rooms behind. The Cockpit had two seats, as I sat in the pilot seat, staring out towards the rising suns. Feeling the control's, had to treat a ship like this like a proper lady, caressing the buttons. The seat was real leather. I could have slept in the cockpit. I enjoyed the moment of quiet. I had to stroke the sticks and button leaning back in my chair. The name came to me, watching the horizon.
"She's the Forward Dawn." Jack was in the cockpit, he had to climb the chair, scaling the mountain, belting up next to me. Rat leaned on my chair.
"So long as it flies. I've added the fuel, and our engineer checked the engine's. Hyperdrive's FUBAR though." The sound of crashing rang through my ears. It wasn't the ships. The kid on the mound screamed and went flying, the trash turned into a searing hill of molten metal. Rat was the first one out, kneeling by the kid. I followed, to see him kneeing by the lad. His face burned away, scotching the top layer, I'd seen blaster bolt wounds before. Rat grabbed the binoculars from the body. He held the hand of the soldier, feeling the tight grip loosen, before closing their comrades eyes.
"IN-9472. Make sure the ships ready!" The other trooper saluted and scurried to the ship. I headed through the gap, crawling through the sand, taking cover behind the undamaged speeder, there should be a charred exterior, a burn from a blaster, All small dark device with a yellow circle, not company issue.
"It's a mega blaster, mounted on the speeder!" Rat cried out. "IN-9472, Double time"
"Yes Sir" I watched the horizon flash with a red light, as the second bolt of light struck the hill. A homing beacons. I threw it onto the scrapyard and retreated.
"We need to retreat Jack activate the shields and thrusters!" Rat fumbled down screaming in pain as the bullet I left in him hadn't healed. It was IN-9472 that ran from the ship to pick Rat up.
"Let's get you on the ship sir."
"I can walk, we retreat. They've brought out the heavy munitions.
"Sir, Yes Sir." IN-9472 looked back and saw above the dune another weapon. He swallowed hard and shoved Rat onto the ship. The Light came from above and when it was gone, so was the boy. Rat didn't look back. I raced head to close the ramp. The shield glowed blue protecting the ship, going from blue to amber on the screen.
"Leave now." I slid into the chair, flicking switches as she rumbled. The Dawn began to rise, pulling the controls up as we pointed upwards, the red shields flashed a warning sign. I moved the thrusters into maximum output, watching the sky stretch in front of me, and the great blue vanish, ascending through the atmosphere, reaching space. It was quiet among the stars. I leaned back in my chair and swung around, offering Rat a roll-up, which he took and retreated into a cabin. I inhaled a long drag before blowing out a large cloud of smoke, turning to Jack."
"Where to next?"

---

Very first attempt at Starwars. Well hope I'm not too lore inaccurate as well Starwars is full of it.

I'll be honest my experience is movie's 1-9 and the clone wars. I just like the idea of a fantasy in space, or a Fantasy Western is space, and setting this after movie 9 I think is something that hasn't been explored, It might be in The Mandalorian. A storm trooper's mentality after losing the war interests me, the first order storm troopers being children raised on propaganda just makes it so much more fun for me. I might delve into the Crew of the Forward Dawn again, or might move on let's see how we do, or might make another short story.