Kendall ducked behind a crate, deflecting blaster bolts from Agent Kallus and his stormtroopers. So far, the mission was a literal dumpster fire, Minister Tua was dead, and the shuttle was a burning wreck. Not to mention the cold feeling she sensed at this very moment...
The roar of an incoming shuttle resounded in her ears, and she turned to see the shuttle being lowered, with Zeb at the door. The Lasat waved his blaster, shouting, "Come on!"
A green blade was ignited, then a lavender one as Eli and Arion deflected enemy fire from the Imperials while Zeb shot at them. Quickly, the rest of the group made their way inside before the shuttle lifted off, the ramp still hanging open for Sabine, who subsequently somersaulted her way inside.
"Where's Tua-?" Eli asked as the ramp closed.
"Let the evidence speak for itself," Was Kendall's terse response, indicating the billowing smoke from the wreckage. Seconds later, a direct hit by an Imperial walker rattled the ship, and Kendall found herself gripping the backboard of one of the seats for balance as Eli, Leda, and the Rampart brothers simultaneously let loose.
"Shit-!"
"Karabast...!"
"Oh, for kriff's sake-"
"Ah, kriffing heck-"
"LANGUAGE, people!" Kendall hissed as the beeps resounded in the shuttle, indicating mayday. Not even a second later, she felt herself being thrown forward as it crashed headfirst into a street. Rubbing her head, she groaned as she sat up, trying to make sense of her vision...
"Come on, come on!" Sabine's voice cut through the haze. "Up! Everybody, we're moving!"
The group ran out of the crashed shuttle past startled civilians, making their way through the streets towards one of the housing units. Ezra went in first, then Sabine, Hera, Kanan, Zeb, Kendall, Leda, Rampart, Eli, Arion, and finally Chopper. The group climbed into a hatch below, with Chopper acting as lookout.
"Well, that went well," Leda remarked sarcastically, leaning against the wall. "Nothing like being shot down and stranded inside an abandoned house with Agent Kallus after us..."
"You know that guy-?" Arion asked, raising a brow.
"I'm surprised you don't," Rampart cut in with a small scoff, his arms crossed. "Alexsandr Kallus is one of the ISB's most notorious lapdogs- I mean, Yularen was his mentor at the Royal Imperial Academy, and he's Lady Valorum's ex fiance. Every prospective ISB agent wants to be like Kallus."
"Sheesh, I wonder why he never married Lady Valorum if he's that good," Arion quipped.
"She didn't want him," Was Rampart's simple response.
"I don't blame her," Sabine piped in before reaching for the radio. Immediately, the holoimage of Imperial news anchor Alton Kastle sprang into view.
"A beloved citizen of Lothal, Minister Tua's life was cut short by this criminal band of Rebels." The image shifted to Kanan, Leda, Hera, Ezra, and Rampart as Kastle droned on, "If you see them, summon Imperial authority immediately. Trooper corps have been mobilized in an extensive sea-"
Hera shut off the radio before pressing a hand to her temple. "They did this to turn Lothal against us. We can't do any more here. We have to leave, for good."
"We can't just run," Ezra protested. "The people have to know the truth-!"
"What truth-?" Leda asked, sighing softly. "You think they'll listen to us after we just caused chaos in town and worsened local safety?"
YOU ARE READING
Earthlings 3: RISE
Fanfiction"Oppression breeds rebellion." For more than a decade, the Galactic Empire has had the galaxy in its iron fist. Any traces of the past Republic have all but been erased, and all opposition has been suppressed. Or has it...? After the death of Eliez...
