The Ancient Homeland

13

   You were just entering the system Kashyyyk was in when you walked out of your room. You blinked away the sleep from your eyes, that tiny nap you took having satiated the drowsiness you'd felt earlier.
"Kashyyyk." Cere stated as you entered the cockpit with a dismal undertone to her quiet words. It barely registered though as you look at what laid before you. In front of you, eyes stood an Imperial blockade, and it made your heart sink. But beyond that stood a beautifully bountiful planet that held continents of amazing vegetation, just begging to be left alone.
"Woah... Tell me we're not running that blockade..." Cal murmured, slight panic hardly present in his voice.
"Oh only as a last resort. I've rigged the Mantis' transponder to transmit Imperial signals... Hey, Greez, " Cere spoke up to answer Cal's question to your right. You felt a bit useless if you were being honest with yourself, finding it rather awkward not having something to do.
"Yeah?" Greez responded to Cere, barely glancing back at her as he did so.
"Keep your power signature low and act like we belong," Cere told Greez, eyes never leaving the computerized screen before her. You repressed yourself into the background, taking a seat as you listened, knowing you weren't much of help right now.
"Just like Bracca, no sweat." Greez griped, sarcasm dripping from his words. Cal lifted his hand up to flick a switch but it was smacked away by Greez's hand, causing a soft giggle to escape your lips. "I don't need another set of hands. Just please keep your eyes on the scanner. Please?" Greez snapped in annoyance, motioning his one arm towards the scanner before Cal.
"Alright, alright," Cal mumbled back, moving his face closer to the scanner.
The Mantis began to drift through the blockade without any disturbance, to all of your relief.
"I don't see anything..." Cal disclosed, eyes shifting on the scanner, causing his head to slightly move about.
Cere spoke up, "They're preoccupied with something on the ground... We're clear." She said, provoking Greez to speed up the Mantis; making you narrowly lurch in your seat.
As you entered the crisp atmosphere of Kashyyyk, an overwhelming sense of pity and sorrow overcame you as you looked around at the gorgeously lush forests; distinct areas of the jungles having smoke plumes heaving themselves into the sky like an ebony cobra ensnaring its victim.
"That doesn't look good..." Cal murmured once more, everyone seemingly sharing your thoughts.
"The Empire is devouring Kashyyyk for its natural resources, " Cere growled in utter disgust. "Wookiees have been enslaved... Or displaced." Cere said, sudden grief overlapping with her resented tone.
   The Mantis flew over the trees and mountains, but what truly took your breath away was the massively intricate tree before your eyes. You'd read about it in the few books that were on Zeffo with you, it was called, 'The Origin Tree'... and the Wookiees worshipped it? You couldn't remember for sure, but your internal monologue was cut off abruptly by the ship shaking violently due to two starships chasing after the other. Before your very eyes, you saw the one starfighter instantly burst into a collection of smoke and flames and debris as it was shot down by the other ship.
"That was a close one, kid! Aren't you supposed to be watching the monitors?" Greez shouted out as he tried to regain the balance of the ship.
"Guerilla fighters! Wookiees and off-worlders ambushing an Imperial convoy, " Cal cut in, not even sparing an apology.
"Walkers approaching their position," Cere called out, a hand on her headset.
"Tarfful could be with them!" Cal said, hope rising in his voice swiftly as he looked back at Cere.
"Tarfful could be anywhere! Like deep in the ground, " Greez interrupted, "like we're gonna be if we get caught up in that battle down there." Greez explained exasperatedly pointing down to the ground as he said so.
"We don't have any other options, and... And they'll die without our help..." Cal began loudly but calmed his voice to a rather quiet and withdrawn tone, flicking his eyes solemnly up to Greez's face.
"So what's your plan?" Cere asked with a slightly demanding connotation to the words.
Cal shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "Sabotage, " he said cooly. Sudden confidence seemed to rise up within him as he stood up from the controls and stepped out of the way. "We used to scrap walkers on Bracca, I'll just jack one." Cal finished smoothly, not failing to cast a quick wink to you; not failing to leave you slightly bewildered by his sudden change of demeanor.
Greez huffed out a scoff, "Ha! Get a load of the kid. He thinks we're back in the clone wars!" Greez's indignant chuckles resounding throughout the enclosed space. You stood up, seeing as both Cere and Cal had stood up and you felt it was high time you did something around here.
"Captain, get us near those walkers," Cere announced devilishly with a smirk, making you silently laugh. Greez's smile faltered and he looked back in sheer disbelief.
"Wait, what?" Greez asked incredulously, but his words went unheard as the three of you walked out of the cockpit towards the hatch. On the way, Cere began informing Cal about the walkers.
"Listen. Those walkers double as troop transports so once you get inside... be careful." Cere explained with concern. From the cockpit, you could hear Greez grumble loudly.
"Time for No Freeze Greez to work his magic..."
"Hey, do me a favor." Care said as she was beginning to open the hatch. You began to grow anxious as the uncertainty of if you were going along crept up inside you. Cere finally looked at you and saw that you were hanging back before she continued to Cal. Cal looked back to you too, a relieved smile relaxing onto his cooled features.
"Look out for Y/N, and please, stay alive down there?" Cere finished, true sincerity in her voice as she spoke.
    "I'll add the second to the plan, the first ones a given." Cal said, a wry smile on his rugged lips as he threw a slight shrug towards Cere. She shook her head and laughed lightly as the two of you made it out of the now-open hatch. The wind whipped at Cal's and your face, and the sudden gust of wind that hit you both definitely didn't help. It caused Cal to barely stumble, but it was still enough for your heart to jump in your throat and to lurch out and grab Cal's hand. On the earpiece in both of your ears, Greez's voice buzzed to life.
   "Alright, if you're jumping you better do it now, kids!"

I know this chapter was a bit dull, but they're going to get better I promise
:( <3