Elayne Starwind - Padawan of Ashoka

Chapter One

I crouched behind a market table.

The streets were bustling with people now. And stormtroopers. Lots of stormtroopers. I had to make this quick.

My eyes landed on a pile of jogans in a wagon on the other side of the road. The jogans were ripe, I could tell because the white lines going up and down on them were clear and visible, even from a distance. My mouth already watered.

I looked to both sides real quick when the street was empty and I sprinted forward, careful to keep my head down. I wound up right next to the wagon - right where I wanted to be... And where the shop owner didn't.

I pulled out my bag and dumped as many jogans as I could fit into it. When it was full, which wasn't long after, I tied it up.

A loud "Hey!" Startled me from behind. I turned around and realized an Ithorian was standing there with his hands on his hips. He had a translator, but I didn't need that to tell that he was upset.

I figured this guy was the shop owner. I took another jogan and put it in my mouth before running off.

Another "Hey!" Was all I heard from him as the distance between us increased rapidly. I pushed through hoards of people without bothering to say excuse me. The stormtroopers on my tail did the same.

"Hands up!" They ordered.

I turned my head and stuck my tongue at them before sprinting even faster.

Red flashes shot all around me. The stormtroopers were trying to blast me now.

I dodged every single blast they shot at me, taking cover behind wagons and tables occasionally. That was bad, because the stormtroopers had time to advance on me.

I continued running until I reached the outskirts of the marketplace. I stumbled behind a tree, still holding the bag of fruits, and climbed it so the stormtroopers couldn't find me.

"Look around," One said. "She'll be here somewhere."

When the stormtroopers dispersed, I jumped down. They left an open space just ahead.

That stormtroopers would call for more help, but for now I was safe.

I continued running from the the marketplace until I was sure I wasn't being followed. Then I trudged through the tall trees of Endor to find my home.

I found a tall rock ahead of me and jogged up to it. Out of habit, I immediately moved the leaves to find a white chalk-like marking. Yep, it was there.

I followed a vine with my eyes and pulled down on it. A rope ladder came dangling down and I climbed it.

In the trees a wooden hut was built by yours truly. I used an Ewok design, and it held up very well. The walls were made of strong branches and the roof was made of grass that I may or may not have stolen from the same Ithorian.

I reeled in the rope ladder so no one could follow me and dropped the bag on the floor. Then I laid on my bed, which wasn't much, just some extra grass I didn't need for the roof. I wasn't exactly living a nice style. Then again, I never had.

I finally took the jogan out of my mouth and bit into it some more. I was right. They were very ripe. I had the Ithorian to thank when I went back to steal more later.

Thieves were common in Endor, especially living with Ewoks, who didn't really like us staying here, but it was very uncommon to meet a female thief barely in her teens who could escape pretty much anything.

How had I got here, you're probably wondering. Well, Endor isn't my birth planet, only my childhood one. I came as the slave of a brutal rich family. When I was sick and tired of having to serve them, I ran away. I messed up their vacation home here on Endor when they slept. Apparently that was enough for them to think there was a cursed ghost in the house and they ordered the place to be burned to the ground.

Too bad for me, but I got this pretty cool hut, so I didn't really mind.

It had been four years since they left. I wondered if they even thought about me anymore, or if they had another slave to work for them. I scoffed at the idea. They were so spoiled.

I tossed the core of the jogan to the makeshift trash can on the other side of the hut and opened my bag. Only six purple fruits had fit, but six would have to do. It meant six days of not going back to the marketplace.

I sat up from my bed and reached my hand underneath it, where I hid my blaster.

This was the best thing I had stolen since I got here. A DC-17 hand blaster that clones in the Jedi days used. I hadn't used it yet, but something was telling me it wasn't going to be sitting here collecting dust for much longer.

I examined the blaster, cleaned it a bit, and hid it back under my bed. I didn't want anyone to see it, otherwise I would be seen as an actual threat.

Then the tree started to shake. I knit my eyebrows. It wasn't windy at all today.

I made the mistake of looking out the window. It was the stormtroopers.

I quickly stuck my head back inside. Did they find me? My heart was pounding. Would I have to build another secret hut? Or would I not have to because I would be in jail in space?

"We know you are there!" The stormtroopers called. "Surrender and we will make your punishment... Bearable."

My heart pounded even harder. The last time I was this scared was when I was escaping from slavery. Then I was the happiest child that could ever exist. Maybe I would get lucky. Maybe it would be the same this time too.

But my luck was clearly running out.

The tree shook again and the wood I was sitting on collapsed. I quickly scurried to the wall, not wanting to fall. Then again, I was going to fall anyways. That just proved to the stormtroopers I was here.

My eyes set sight toward my bed. Maybe I could blast them all...

I crawled to my bed and pulled the blaster out. I didn't know much about these, only that you should pull the trigger. Hopefully that was all I needed to do.

I positioned myself where I could get a clear shot toward them. My hands were sweating and shaking. What if I missed and they knew exactly where I was hiding in my hut? I didn't like the thoughts.

I had to stop doubting myself. I could do this.

At least, that's what I thought before the tree shook again and the entire hut collapsed.