Erstwhile

Help

"Stance, what's going on in there?" Another voice called from the outside of the Phantom, and I cringed. One Storm Trooper I could've handled, even in my condition, but two? Not a chance.

"It looks like we've stumbled upon two Jedi and their droid, Gear," the soldier apparently named Stance replied, "An older and a younger."

"Jedi?" Gear cried.

"Oh, calm down," Stance growled and walked over to where Ashoka lay. "The youngin' is injured, and the older is out cold." His gun still pointed at me, the soldier tapped Ashoka's shoulder.

"Don't touch her!" I shouted and lunged forward, calling my light saber to my hand.

Twisting around to face me, the Storm Trooper fired, but I deflected it into the ceiling. Bringing my light saber down, I sliced off the barrel of his gun. Dropping the useless weapon, Stance danced out of the way, looked me over once, and then charged with nothing but his bare hands.

Evading my weapon, the soldier punched me in the thigh, right near the glass shard, sending me toppling to the floor. As I writhed in pain, he stepped on my hand, forcing the light saber from my grasp. Leaning over, he snatched it off the floor.

"Stance?" Gear called, hysteria leaking into his voice, "What's going on?"

"Nothing to worry about," Stance replied and pointed my light saber down at my throat, "The youngin' just needed to learn a lesson."

"Get off him," a voice snarled from behind Stance. Craning my head, I saw Ashoka holding one of her light sabers in her hand. Her other hand, her injured one, she held tenderly against her chest.

"Hey, Gear, we might have a problem."

"What? What now?"

"Get in here!"

"I don't think so," Ashoka snapped and brought her weapon closer to the soldier's neck. "If you want to live, you'll release the padawan and tell your friend to stay outside."

"Well, if you want the padawan to live--" Stance retorted, bringing the light saber in his hands nearer to my chest, "--you're going to have to let me go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Then it looks like we're going to have a problem," Stance commented and then sighed, "Look, lady, I didn't mean for this to happen. Gear and I, and Doc back at camp, we want to help you."

"Yeah, right," I scoffed from where I laid on the floor, "Like we're supposed to believe you, a Storm Trooper."

"The Galactic Empire didn't do us any favors," Stance said, "We're the only ones on this planet, your ship is demolished, and the both of you are injured. Right now, we're your best bet."

"Master, he's got a point," I remarked, and Ashoka glared at me. Promptly, I shut my mouth.

"How do we know we can trust you?" The Commander snarled.

"You don't," Stance admitted, "All you have is the word of a soldier and his promise of safe passage."

Lowering her eyes, Ashoka focused on the blood that was trickling from my wound and the pool that was beginning to form. For a few moments, she just stared, pondering, and finally, she deactivated her light sabers and stepped away.

"Good girl," Stance said and deactivated his--my--light saber and placed it inside my back pack. Once he'd slung it over his shoulder, the soldier carefully bent over and helped me to my feet. For a few moments, I stood on my own, but those moments were short-lived, for I soon threatened to collapse. Before I could fall, Stance wrapped his arm around my waist, supporting me.