Supernova || Luke Skywalker

Eight

Lian was just inspecting the quality of some vegetables when something told him to return to Chirrut. He dropped the vegetable back down on the stall and began shouldering his way back down the street. He caught Chirrut as the man was standing up. "Ah", he grinned as Lian approached. "Did you get everything?"

"No", Lian narrowed his eyes. "I had a feeling that you were going to cause trouble".

Chirrut nodded. "The force is a wise one. I am. You'd best come along". He strolled through the street and down a side alley towards Tythoni Square, an old disused area of the market. After a rebel attack there a few years before, the market had moved down a few streets. Just as they got there a distant explosion echoed round the city. Lian looked up to see smoke in the sky as the sound of blaster fire began to start. He and Chirrut sat down on the steps of an old arch way to listen to the rebel fight.

"You have questions", Chirrut spoke up. "I can sense them".

"You and the other masters have been confusing today, more so than usual", Lian hummed as he brushed out his robes. His staff leaning on his legs. "Is there something going on?"

"The force has been leading us", Chirrut said softly. "I do not know where it is leading us yet but you are involved". Lian nodded. He couldn't feel the force as much as the older masters but he trusted them. He messed with the straps holding the sack to his back and tightened his belt, a feeling of apprehension tingling his fingertips.

For a little while they watched as troopers filed in and out of the square. Some of the squads remaining stationary as other squads patrolled in and out, probably looking for the rebels who had attacked them. Lian watched them warily. He fidgeted with his robes. All monks wore their robes different. Chirrut wore a series of belts round his chest and trousers under the long material. Lian too preferred to wear trousers under the red and black layers for warmth and he kept the neckline buttoned high up to his throat, a crimson red scarf made out of one of his childhood robes was knotted round his neck. He pulled it up self consciously over his lower face in a soothing reassuring habit he'd has since childhood. The cloth barrier serving to shield him from the world.

Then three people stumbled into the square. Wait, Lian blinked. Two people and a tall imperial droid, a man with short cut brown hair and the woman's he had seen talking to Chirrut earlier. He felt Chirrut turn at his side. "Are they here?"

"Yes". Lian didn't have to guess that these two people were the ones Chirrut meant. Even he could feel the force's pull towards the woman. It was weird. "Good", Chirrut smiled. "Blaze is around here somewhere". Lian hummed but didn't bother looking for the other man. Blaze would turn up.

Across the square troopers had approached the droid. "Where are you taking these prisoners?" One asked as a few more stepped up behind him.

"These are prisoners?" The droid seemed slightly confused.

"Yes, where are you taking them?"

"I'm taking them to imprison them in prison".

"He is taking us to"- the man spoke up only for the droid to slap him.

"Quiet! And there's a fresh one if you mouth off again", the droid threatened as the man held his nose.

The trooper has seen enough. "We'll take them from here", he waved and more troopers marched forwards to grab the two people. They began to slap cuffs on them as the droid murmured protests. "Take them away. You stay here, we need to check your diagnostics", the trooper ordered.

"Diagnostics?" Lian had never heard a droid sound so offended before. "I am capable of checking my own diagnostics thank you very much".

"Let them pass in peace", Chirrut called. The troopers all stopped and tuned to look towards the arch way where Lian and Chirrut were seated. Chirrut used his staff to stand up and began walking forwards, the staff falling on the ground as he moved. Lian stood up and kept to Chirrut's shadow as the man moved into the centre of the square. "Let them pass in peace", he repeated. "The force is with me and I am with the force and I fear nothing as the force wills it", Chirrut intoned.

"Hey stop right there", a trooper announced as they raised their guns. Lian stopped and kept his staff at his side as Chirrut kept going.

"He's blind", another trooper called.

"He's not deaf. I said stop right there". Chirrut must have felt when the trigger was pulled because he smoothly dodged to the side as the gun fired. The laser bolt hit another trooper as Chirrut darts forwards. Lian didn't see what he did next because he was busy attacking his own troopers. He bent back to duck under a red laser before skidding forwards and dropping to a crouch to sweep the nearest Trooper's legs from under him. A blow to the side of his helmet with the pommel of his staff knocked the man out.

"Lian!" There was a call and Lian dropped his torso forwards. He felt Chirrut use him as a spring board to launch himself at another group of troopers. Lian turned and ran at the ones Chirrut had left behind. He twirled and kicked one in the face while simultaneously using his staff to flick another to the floor. A shot came at him from behind and he grabbed the trooper he had kicked and used him as a living shield before shoving him at the trooper who had shot at him. The two soldiers collapsing in a pile of limbs. The rest of the soldiers surrounding him were swiftly taking out by his spinning staff.

Lian bent into a crouching fighting position, staff out warningly as he turned to see Chirrut finish with his own opponents. Lian jogged over as more soldiers came running into the square. He had just reached the man's side when red bolts blasted around them and the new troopers were all collapsing too the floor. Lian and Chirrut lifted their head from their hands to turn to where Blaze was knelt in the sand. His gun smoking.

"You almost shot me". Chirrut complained as he straightened. "And Lian. You can't shoot our kid".

"You're welcome", Blaze grumbled as he shot at a soldier just getting up. Lian snorted behind his scarf and grinned in thanks as he leaned on his staff.

The droid, man and woman emerged from where they had taken refuge behind some crates. "Clear of hostiles", the droid announced. Blaze turned swiftly and aimed his gun. The droid threw its arms in the air. "One hostile!"

"He's with us", the woman called.

"They're alright", Chirrut waved at the trio's general direction with his staff. Blaze slowly lowered the gun as Chirrut sat down on the back of a dead trooper. Lian dusting off the sand from his robes next to him. The droid removed the man and woman's cuff before leaving, probably told to go somewhere else.

"Jedi?" The man asked as he and the woman approached warily.

"There is no Jedi here anymore", Blaze snorted. "Only dreamers like this fool and silly kids".

"The force did protect us", Chirrut smiled.

"I protected you", Baze huffed. Lian rested his chin on the top of his staff and rolled his eyes, used to the couple's antics.

"Can you get us to Saw Gerrera?" The woman asked. As soon as the name was out of her mouth then shouting started. Dozens of people, their faces covered by masks and material, emerged and surrounded them. They dropped form on top of buildings and from alleyways. They encircled them, hands wrestling their arms into cuffs. Lian didn't struggle because Chirrut and Blaze weren't struggling. His mentors seemed pretty calm so he took a deep breath and followed their example.

"Can you not see that we are not friends of the empire?" Chirrut sighed. Lian shoved his staff into a clip on he belt as he was forced to stand up straight. There was a gun pointing annoyingly at his forehead.

"You can tell that to the one who killed our men", a man, who seemed to be in charge, answered back in the local alien dialect.

"Anyone who kills me and my friends will answer to Saw Gerrera", the woman's voice stated sharply. Liam couldn't see her through the amount of rebels surrounding them.

"And why is that?"

"Because I am the daughter of Galen Erso".

"Who's Galen Erso?" Lian whispered to Chirrut. The man shrugged.

"I don't know".

"Take them", the leader declared. Lian made a surprised noise  as a musty bag was shoved over his head and he was hauled forwards.

Next to him he heard Chirrut complain loudly. "Are you kidding me? I'm blind!"

Unedited