Earthlings 2: The Dark Age

40 (Part I)

A/N: Featuring @MatteoSN7, @ThyNoble, and yours truly ^^

9 BBY, Jabiim

"Seal all the doors!"

The safehouse was a frenzy. People rushed to stick large metal poles into bolts attached to blastdoors, plug in the doorless, secret tunnels that led anywhere outside, and embraced their loved ones... as if to reassure each other that they would be all right.

As for Eli, he was pacing back and forth, constantly checking the hangar door, comforting a few small children, and collecting his own thoughts. Everything was a blur... and he was sure he could hear voices outside. He sensed them... the stormtroopers... the Purge troopers clad in black and red... the ship carrying the Inquisitor who was to lead them...

"I'm scared," A ten year old child whimpered, looking up at Eli with wide blue eyes. She was a human with strawberry blonde hair, clad in black denim overalls over a grey shirt. She'd come from the Lothal safehouse with Tabitha during the Imperial crackdown there. Seemingly, she was an orphan; spending most of her time in the safehouse around the wolf den.

"Yeah, I know," Eli said softly, kneeling to her position. "It'll be ok... what's your name?"

"Veronica," The girl mumbled.

Eli nodded slowly. "You're an Earthling...?"

Veronica nodded and rolled up her sleeve, showing 2 illuminated tick marks. "I don't wanna die again."

"You have 2 lives," Eli pointed out. "You'll survive."

"Still..." Veronica sighed, pulling her sleeve back down. "I don't wanna go back to Earth."

Eli was surprised to hear that. "Why not-?"

"I don't belong there." Veronica wrapped her arms around herself. Before Eli could register the meaning of the girl's words, a loud BANG was heard in the distance. Then another... and yet another.

Sully came running in, horror written all over her features. "It's a heavy gun. They're trying to blast through the outside doors."

"Well, that was fast," A 14 year old girl nearby remarked.  Eli knew her as Rin- another Lothal refugee. Like himself and Veronica, she was an Earthling. She also hailed from the Bay Area, like Eli... albeit down south, in a small town near San Jose. "You sure the doors are strong enough to hold them?"

"Cannons, yes," Ivan piped in. "Not a lightsaber."

Rin cringed. "No shit Sherlock-"

"Hey!" Eli shot her a look before covering Veronica's ears. "Not in front of the little ones."

"Veronica is older than me!" Rin countered. "On Earth, at least."

Eli exhaled as another laser hit the blastdoor outside. "Just... get to the ship before they breach the entrance. It's safer there."

Rin and Veronica scrambled for the ship.

"Roken, we need the hangar roof open," Tala demanded nearby. Gears creaked and groaned as the man muttered something under his breath. Eli gazed up at the roof, praying to God it would open...

It didn't.

"Well, that was underwhelming," Haja quipped.

"Very underwhelming," Leda added.

Roken shot them a look. "I don't need you guys' opinion."

"Have you tried going in the vents to see what's going on-?" Haja asked.

"I'm a little too big to be crawling around in vents- would you like to try?"

"I'm gonna need a ladder." A third voice chimed in. Leia Organa slid off of a crate and approached the group.