Empire's Child

Chapter 27

I stand off to the side, tapping my foot against the ground. Why would Father send me here? There's nothing going on here except a small band of insignificant rebels who've barely done any damage. This place is boring.

Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grant, as well as four stormtroopers, gather around an elderly Gotal with a basket of Lothal's native purple fruit. "Your identification. Now." Taskmaster Grant demands.

"I-I'm just trying to sell a couple jogans here." The Gotal stammers nervously.

"All trade must be registered with the Empire." Commandant Aresko says in his annoyingly superior tone.

"I remember what it was like before you ships showed up, before you Imperials ruined Lothal like the rest of the galaxy." The Gotal says. The stormtroopers exchange glances and Aresko's eyes narrow. Around us, the Lothalians exchange scared looks. Aresko brings his comlink up.

"This is LRC-01. I'm bringing in a citizen under a charge of treason." Aresko says.

"Hang on. You're bringing someone in because he was trying to sell...fruit? Are you serious?" I ask, pushing myself off from the wall. Finally, something interesting. Although arguing with Aresko shouldn't take too much brainpower.

Aresko glares at me. "He was questioning my orders and speaking ill of the Empire."

"Yeah." Grint agrees, cracking his knuckles.

I roll my eyes. "Because you were threatening his stall. He probably needs the money. And it's not like the Empire can be taken down by a few jogans. Who cares if he sells some fruit?"

"Well—I...!" I scoff.

"We can't bring someone in because they were selling fruit. How about we save space for actual threats? Yeah?" I raise my eyebrows, being extra patronizing. If I get him angry enough, he'll storm off like a big baby. And Grint will follow. I've learned that much about two of Lothal's main government officials.

"So...are you bringing in a prisoner?" The stormtrooper over the comlink asks.

"No." Aresko says, glaring at me. I lift one eyebrow. Grint picks up the basket of jogans.

"But we are confiscating this." He says, laughing and grabbing one of the purple fruits. The Gotal looks down at his hooves. I frown, but I can't stop that. Technically they are allowed to confiscate the fruit.

A kid who looks about my age in an orange jumpsuit approaches, his head bent and looking like just another desperate person on Lothal. I look at him closer, frowning slightly. He seems...different. Something is telling me to keep an eye on him. A sort of...thrumming in the Force. Huh. "Hey, mister, a spare jogan?" The kid asks, holding out his hands.

Grint turns to glare at the kid. "Move along, Loth-rat." He growls.

"Honestly, Taskmaster Grint, learn to share." I grab a jogan from the top and toss it to the kid. "Sharing is caring." I put a hand on my hip, raising an eyebrow challengingly.

"Thank you very much, miss." The kid says, turning around. I notice that he grabs Aresko's comlink, but don't say anything. I don't like these two. He backs away and stands up straighter. Aresko and Grint go back to ignoring the general population, but I keep watching the boy. A second later, a voice sounds from Grint's comlink.