Two Years after Star Wars A New Hope

It had been a long watch. Attention to duty dulled by the perpetual mist that hung over the city like a shroud and the complete lack of any activity near his assigned station can do that to a person. He only thought was that soon it would be over, an a nice warm bunk was waiting for him at the barracks. Maybe a quick snack and beverage from the cantina would be good before sleep.
He hated having to stand watch near the shuttle station in Moneia, nothing ever happened here. All the action of late was going on in Restuss on Rori. He so longed to join his comrades in the fight against the Empire.
Looking at his chrono, he only had another hour before being relieved. Sighing, he settled down to occupy his time watching the large swamp moths fight to see which could land on the high intensity light first.

The figure moved through the shadows of the Naboonian swamp trees as if a ghost. Not a sound came from the booted figure as it approached the lights of the city.
Twenty five meters from the lighted shuttle station, the cloaked figure crouched behind a small out cropping of ancient stone. Peering over the top, the figure measured with a practiced eye the angle and time needed to get to the unsuspecting guard standing watch.

Two of the moths had just been vaporized by the high intensity light to his amusement when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye back in the shadows out from the shuttle station. Squinting against the glare of the lights he tried to fathom the depths for what had caught his attention.
“Who goes there!” he barked, scanning the area from which he thought he had seen the movement.
Neither after waiting a few moments and no reply came nor any movement seen, did he start to believe that it was probably just his imagination playing tricks on him. A cough from behind startled him so much that he almost dropped his rifle. Spinning in the direction of the sound he found himself facing Sergeant Shrader.
“Everything Ok?” the sergeant asked.
“Yes sir” the corporal replied, as he worked to regain his composure.
“I heard you call out a bit ago and came over to investigate. It’s imperative that you remain alert, there’s been some trouble out near sectors 15 and 23 lately” the sergeant stated gruffly, “and we don’t want any trouble here if you get my meaning”
“Aye, sir, I do”
“Good” said the sergeant, “Now since I’m here, let’s have a report”.

The cloaked figure watched the two from the cover of the building shadow,
Though now a bit more complicated, taking care of two would be no more trouble then one.
Moneia has seen an increase to its rebel presence lately. With the conflict
between the Empire and the Alliance escalating, more and more rebel troops were being garrisoned here as a jump point to Rori where frequent skirmishes have exploded between the two in recent months.

Having recently completed some hit and run missions on outlying rebel outposts, the cloaked figure felt more then confident to perform the same operations here inside Moneia. Mara Jade had said this was to be the final test, getting in and out of the city while causing as much havoc as possible so as to affect moral and will. To make the rebels a less effective fighting force.
Taking a deep calming breath, the cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows and strode purposely towards the two enlisted men standing at the shuttle station. At about 12 meters the higher ranked man, who appeared to be listening to the other looked up from his note pad and noticed the approaching figure.

The blast from the force lightning sent the sergeant flying back and down. The corporal instinctually turned in the direction from which the bolt had come, his eyes wide, found himself looking into the darken hood of the cloaked figure. With a loud, scared yell, he raised his rifle towards the figure.
The figure had anticipated this move and stepped back into a defensive position, deftly thumbing on the light saber and bringing it into a shoulder high position in one fluid motion.
The corporal squeezed the trigger of his rifle and the laser bolt flashed towards its target.
Twisting the saber to chest high position the bolt was easily block and sent off in a different direction. The cloaked figure knew it could have been sent straight back to the person that fired it, but elected to glance it away instead.
Two quick steps forward, the light blade of the saber swung up and over in an arc slicing the barrel of the rifle clean off as if made of butter. The blade continued in a full circle was brought down and back to hip level and thrust forward.
Stunned, the corporals eyes even wider then before, stared down at his chest where the blade had entered almost to the hilt held in the figures hand. Strangly he felt no pain, but he knew the blade had pierced something vital to his existence as he could feel his energy ebbing, his legs growing weak and a darkness settling over his vision.

He looked into the darkness of his attackers hood, hoping to at least get a glimpse of the person that had done such a thing. The cloaked figure threw back its head as if to laugh, but instead made the hood fall back and revealed a female with red hair and smoldering green eyes. He looked deep within those eyes and with his silently asked the woman why?

Ebe watched as the light of life slowly faded from the soldier’s eyes. She could see the questioning in his eyes, the disbelief that this should happen. How was she supposed to answer? This was war, though maybe not officially declared, it was still war. She brought back the memory of how her family was killed by these people and how Mara had taught her to use this anger to draw on more power from the force. Yes in her eyes it was justified.

Sergeant Shrader, feeling like he had been struck by a load lifter, opened his eye in time to see his man slump to the ground, obviously dead. The cloaked figure that had blasted him unconscious stood over the man’s body. He was as surprised to see that the person under the cloak was a woman, and that this woman in fact carried a light saber.

Ebe looked over to where she had knocked the sergeant, and noticed movement; almost casually she started walking towards him.
Sergeant Shrader knew he didn’t have much time, as the woman started towards him. Reaching up to his collar, he clicked on his comm. and rasped “Help, I need backup!” at the same time he reached down to his holstered DL44 pistol and tried to get it out in time to matter.
Igniting her saber once more, and with a couple of quick slashes, the sergeant was dispatched.
Ebe knew that the sergeant had managed to get a call out to his comrades and it would only be a matter of minutes, if not seconds before that helped arrive.
Turning in the direction she felt the forces would be coming from, Ebe took another deep cleansing breath and waited for the real fun to start.

A Dream Part two

We parried back and forth, alternating between the two of us, offensive and defensive moves.
Lotuss was fast! And by far the stronger one, but with my smaller size and quickness we were closely matched, and on several occasions I was able to get well within his inner defensive circle and let him know I was still there.
Lotuss backed out of range, thumbing off his saber, I followed suit with mine.
“Ebe, I’m really impressed, not only with you crafting your own light saber, but with your fighting style as well”, He said in a low tone of voice. “I’ve come to tell you something of great importance. You are to continue to train in the Jedi arts and become one of the Emperors most lethal weapons in the war against the Rebellion. This is where I have been my love, training, learning, becoming one with the force”.
“You will go to the Emperor’s retreat on Naboo. There you will seek out the Emperor’s Hand, Mara Jade. She will show you what you must learn”.
Lotus turned and strode quickly off, back into the mist from which he first emerged.
I ran after him calling to him to come back.
“Lotuss!! Please! I need you; you have to give me more!” I yelled,
but within moments I quickly lost site of him and found myself very alone in the jungle.
I awoke with a start, breathing hard. The covers to my bed a shambles, the pillows scattered across the floor. I was covered in sweat.
The dream had seemed so real, not like the surreal ones we all tend to have, but real. I felt like I had actually lived this dream.
I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the fresher. I stood over the wash basin splashing cool water over my face, thinking about the dream, or…maybe it was a vision? I had heard that sentient beings sensitive to the force have been known to have visions of their future or of future events.
Mara Jade is a name familiar to me. I had the chance to meet her once while doing missions for the Inquisitor whom is also based out of the Emperors Retreat. She came across to me as cold, hard, calculating and ruthless. She was also a very beautiful woman; one I could see the Emperor taking a fancy too.
“Ok” I thought to myself, “why not?” The city of Monia, though a rebel enclave might be trouble getting through, I don’t think I will have to much difficulty getting past. From there it’s not all that far to the Retreat.
I’ll find Mara and just explain what I saw in my dream and see where it leads. It’s not like I have any real pressing things I need to do, and maybe the trip will be well worth the time. Besides, I can always check in with the Inquisitor and see if there’s anything he needs done.
I’ll finish up on some odds and ends here and head out in the morning. I’ll send a comm. to Lotuss and hope he gets it. Yep, should be an interesting trip.