May The Way Be With You

Recruitment

"How the fuck are we getting over the wall!?" Dumbfuck whispers. It's the middle of the night, and with Dumbfuck's help, I have a group of fifteen orphans ready to meet up with Mando. We are at a rarely patrolled part of the wall that surrounds the city. I bite my lip, not sure. One of the kids finds a weak spot in the wall, making a crack big enough for us to squeeze through.

Once all of us are on the other side, I tell them walk five miles to the campsite. "Which way?" Another of the orphans, Dipshit, asks. Not knowing the answer, I use the comm bracelet.

"Mando? What direction should people go?" I whisper into it.

"Due west. Figured it would be easier to be in a direct line from the city." He answers. Everyone's mouths drop when they hear his voice.

"Copy that. I've got sixteen headed your way." I tell him.

"Copy. Stay safe in there." He says, then the comms disconnect. Dumbfuck is shocked.

"I thought you were lying! This is real!" She gasps. I smile and nod, then head back into the city. Two hours later, Mando is back on the comms.

"Hey, the sixteen you sent just arrived. What's with the names like Dumbfuck, Jackass and Dipshit?" He asks. I chuckle.

"Remember, none of us know our real names. Some of us choose whatever Grizel called us the most. Others whatever the townsfolk called us." I explain.

"Got it. Be safe Mesh'la." He ends the call and I gotta ask him, Daljar or Jacsava what that last word means. Dumbfuck decides to be the one who guides everyone to the camp, since she's best at remembering the safest route there. Guards are still looking for me, so I have to really embody my name. Sticking to the shadows, stealing what I can for the kids and myself, making sure I don't get caught. If I'm caught, it's all over.

For the first two weeks, it's smooth sailing getting everyone that's willing to fight through the wall. Dumbfuck and I managed to convince between ten to twenty orphans and adult citizens a night. Somvia is too old to fight, but she's respected enough in the city to spread the word and convince those who can't or won't fight to stay out of the way. Mr. Goldwin will help her.

By week three, it seems Grizel has caught on that people are leaving the city, at the very least. There are more guards patrolling the streets and alleyways, and to all our horror, it seems she somehow got Stormtroopers to beef up numbers. I can't contact Mando much, but thankfully Dumbfuck relays messages when she picks up the next group of people.

By the end of week three, we have two hundred bodies at the camp. Daljar has already taken one hundred and fifty people to the Crest, to keep the camp as hidden as possible. With how many guards and Stormtroopers are patrolling the area, we may have to make due with the twenty I've gathered for tonight and the people we have already.

That night, as I lead the group slowly through the streets, my heart drops. The crack in the wall has been repaired, and there are two Stormtroopers patrolling the area. I get the group to silently back up, and we look for a spot that isn't being watched. Unfortunately, it's on the complete opposite side of the city.

"What do we do?" Ginny asks, scared. I reach out to Dumbfuck, who I can feel is searching for another crack. I guide her to where we are, and use That Feeling to lift two people at a time over the wall.

"What about you? Silver Mando said to bring you back tonight since it's gotten too dangerous." Dumbfuck tells me. Before I can answer, I hear a voice.

"There she is! Blast her!" A Stormtrooper commands. I bolt, running as fast as I can through the twist and turns while dodging blaster fire. I end up having to use the main roads, which have even more troopers and guards. I try to run for my hiding spots, but it seems Grizel or Mayor Critz sniffed them out, for each one is kicked in or destroyed. I'm loosing hope when a set of hands grabs me as I run past a door.