Living Hand To Mouth: A Star Wars Story

A Divided War

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...

The sound of metal clanking together thunders through the planet of Ryloth. Home planet to Twi'lieks, Ryloth is beautiful, with green grass and dazzling lakes. But because of the war the planet had been turned to dirt and dust. The locals have been taken for slavery and the villages are deserted. In a tiny village, on the outskirts of the capital, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi plan an attack to over run the capital...

"No, they'll see us." Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn remarked as he scanned the hologram of the capital city of Ryloth.  The green landscape stretched on for miles and miles, bushes lining it. The three stood in a very small town, emptied long ago. The buildings had shattered windows, and the walls were burnt by flames of scattering fire. The screams of terror still hung in the air, while the sound of metal clanking was far away.

"Master, if we scale the wall blocking this road, we'll be able to get in from behind," Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi added, pointing at the hologram. "Maybe we can find out who the new Sith apprentice is." Obi-Wan said, turning to his master.

"It'll be too dangerous." Jedi Padawan Luminara remarked, her black headdress swaying as she turned to face him. Obi-Wan just frowned, his bright blue eyes searched her face, wondering why she'd disagree.
"We need to take the risk so we -" Obi-Wan began to argue his point, but was stopped by his master.
"Padawans. Don't fight, we have plenty of time for that," Qui-Gon said as he turned to face Obi-Wan, "Once we scale the wall and sneak up from behind." Qui-Gon finished, turning and starting to walk down the dusty dirt road, which lead to the capital city. Obi-Wan cheekily smiled at Luminara and walked away, she closed her mouth and clenched her jaw. Walking down the dirt road was less than ideal, they were exposed to the open and had no cover at all. As they saw another village coming into sight they quickened their pace and rushed into it.

"Do you hear that?" Luminara asked, as the three came into the destroyed village. "Hear what?" Obi-Wan asked, looking in front of him.

Suddenly clanking sounded from behind them and a mechanical voice thundered.
"Don't move, Jedi." A tall, dust covered, droid commanded.
"Oh, that." Obi-Wan muttered, continuing to gaze forward. 
The three Jedi slowly stood and nodded at one another. Without another word, or thought, Obi-Wan jumped up and cut three droids on his way down. Qui-Gon took the first few and the destroyers were covered by Luminara. As the last droid broke and fell to the ground, Luminara turned to Obi-Wan.
"You could work on your hearing!" Luminara huffed at Obi-Wan.
He walked over to the Main Street and looked around. "I don't see anymore droids." He said, starting to walk down to the houses.
"Well if your sight is as good as your hearing, we're in trouble." Luminara muttered as she followed.
Qui-Gon sighed and followed the two padawans.
"Check the homes, make sure there are no witnesses. We can't have the separatists know we're onto them." Qui-Gon said, turning into a house made out of dusty rock.
Obi-Wan headed into a house and looked around. The destruction in the home was devastating. Toy dolls everywhere, the wooden chairs where broken, the rock was crumpled. He couldn't even get upstairs. As he turned to leave he heard a sound. His head snapped back to the pile of rock. He bent down and started to lift rocks off it. Suddenly he felt something sharp dig into his hand.
"Hey!" He said in pain, as he pulled his hand to his mouth.
Suddenly a little blue figure ran out from under the rocks.
He turned and looked. Standing in front of him was a tiny little girl Twi'liek. She was blue and had a pattern on her head tails. She was clutching a toy animal.
"Hello there." He said bending down.
She slightly turned away.
"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you." He said to her.
"Like those big things...they take momma and father." She cried.
"You hid?" He asked her.
"Yes." She replied, looking down.
"Do you know where they took everyone?" He asked.
She gulped and looked at him, with wandering eyes.
"Th-the capital." She answered.
"I heard those loud things talking outside." She explained.
"Would you like to come with me?" Obi-Wan asked, knowing she had to go with him.
She nodded and ran into his arms.
"O-okay." He replied, picking her up.
He walked out of the house and saw Qui-Gon and Luminara waiting in the middle of the road.
"What took you so - whose this?" Qui-Gon asked.
"I'm not sure..." Obi-Wan replied, holding the small girl.
"She says the locals are at the capital. Her parents were taken." He explained.
"Come on, let's go." Qui-Gon said, running toward four droid speeders.
As Luminara and Qui-Gon got on a speeder the little girl got on one, she clutched the handles.
"Yeah....I don't think so." Obi-Wan said picking her up and placing her behind him.
As the speeders zoomed down the road the sight of the huge droid wall appeared.
"There it is." Obi-Wan pointed at it.
"How do we get over that?" Luminara asked, he eyes wide at the sight of the tall wall.
"I'm figuring that out right now..." Obi-Wan replied.
"You don't have a plan?" She exclaimed.
"I do now." He answered and lifted the girl over to Luminara.
Then he sped up. He stopped at the gate to the wall and talked to the droids.
He placed his hand above his head and walked into the gate. Inside he pulled out his lightsaber and cut up of the droids. Then he pressed buttons until one opened the gate.
"R-348 why is the gate opening?" A transmission sounded from the dashboard.
"Uh..." Obi-Wan muttered.
"Malfunction, we will be closing them momentarily." Obi-Wan said, trying to sound like a droid.
"Hello? Who is this!" The droid asked.
"Uh...." He looked down at his lightsaber then drew it across the dashboard.
He raced out of the gate room and ran to his speeder. The gates started to close again, he watched them close behind him and caught up with the two other Jedi.
"That was suddal." Luminara said, watching droids run around the capital.
"We have to find the locals and release them. Someone has to find the Sith apprentice." Qui-Gon instructed.
"I'll find the locals." Obi-Wan said, as the little girl jumped from Luminara's speeder to his.
"I'll come with you." Luminara said.
"I'll find the Sith. Hurry, we don't have much time." Qui-Gon said, dismounting his speeder.
The other Jedi did the same and started to sneak behind the bushes surrounding the capital building.
"Now, let's find your mother and father."