Broken Codes

Learn the Way

Kashyyyk: 19 BBY
Imperial Compound
Lesia Mirri

    They dropped into a dim hallway. There were no stormtroopers in sight. Les raised her blaster and quickly took out the security cameras. "Where are the Wookiees?" Nakoa wondered aloud.

    "Maybe the hologram was wrong. The cells could be another level beneath us." Lesia brushed past him and activated a control panel. She typed up something quickly and another hologram appeared. "Here they are." She pointed to the detention level beneath them. "Your schematics are outdated. You might grab these ones while we're here," Les added, looking to Trergi.

    The black furred Wookiee nodded and transferred the files onto his holodisk, before shutting down the console. "Let's hurry. Oni will be getting close soon," Nakoa said.

    Les took the lead and entered a lift. Everyone piled in behind her. She drew her blaster as they went down one level. The lift opened up and they charged into the detention level. Les blasted at the nearest stormtroopers. They didn't have time to scream.

    The remaining troopers rushed around, firing back and attempting to activate alarms. Nakoa jetted across the hall and blasted two troopers before they could reach the alarm. Trergi roared and smashed his metal staff into the head of a stormtrooper. Plastoid shattered and the trooper fell. Trergi whirled to the next and stabbed the pole through his helmet, driving it into the wall. Les stifled a gasp as blood slicked the pole. She turned away and set to work unlocking the cells.

    Nakoa landed next to her and began unlocking another cell. He spied Trergi's artwork, still stuck to a wall. "Wow. Remind me to never get on a Wookiee's bad side."

    "Don't ever get on a Wookiee's bad side," Les replied. The cell hissed open and several Wookiees stepped out. Les pulled a small tool from her satchel and quickly used it to deactivate their wrist binders. The Wookiees gave growls and grunts of thanks.

    Trergi appeared beside her, anxiously scanning the sea of faces. Two Wookiees stepped out of another cell and gave excited barks. Trergi ran over to them and hugged them tightly. He pulled away after a moment and gestured to Les and Nakoa.

    "What's he saying?" Nakoa asked.

    "He's telling his family who we are." Lesia listened for a moment. "The smaller one is his older sister and the big one is his father."

    Trergi's father stomped over to them and gathered Nakoa into his arms in a crushing hug. Les grimaced out of sympathy. Nakoa gave a small cough and the Wookiee finally set him down. "You're welcome," Nakoa rasped. "We should get moving. Reinforcements will be coming."

    "Trergi, lead everyone back onto the roof," Les ordered. "Nakoa and I can keep the stormtroopers held back until everyone is on the Mythos."

    Trergi nodded and roared a command. The Wookiees followed him back towards the lift. Les drew her blasters and crouched behind a wall support. Nakoa took up another position and aimed his blasters at the door.

    "As soon as everyone is on the Mythos, we need to close those blast doors," he pointed to the ones behind them, "and get to the roof."

    Les nodded her agreement. Footsteps pounded down the hallway. A second later, the doors opened and stormtroopers flooded the hall. Les opened fire, blasting as they appeared. A few troopers tripped over their fallen comrades. Nakoa stunned them quickly. He tossed another shock grenade into the throng, taking down several stormtroopers.

    "Nakoa, the Wookiees are boarding," Oni's voice crackled through their comms. "Where are you?"

    "On our way." Nakoa fired over his shoulder and sprinted down the hall.