Star Wars: Retribution

Chapter 2

She barely rolled out of the way to avoid a speeder racing down the street. A few Jawas scrambled to her and rummaged through her cloak. With a flick of her hand, she sent them tumbling across the gritty avenue. "Leave me alone. I'm not even dead yet." Not Tatooine ... again.

Standing, she scanned the signs on the beige stucco buildings. "Well, I don't think this is Mos Espa."

A small woman in a grease-stained jumpsuit cackled. A DUM-series pit droid balancing a selection of parts in its arms followed her. "Mos Espa? You think Mos Eisley is Mos Espa? Honey, you get hit on the head or something?"

Ahsoka gazed into the eyes of the mechanic. "Mos Eisley?" But WHEN am I? Are the Hutts still around? The Imps? Am I too late? Has Thrawn already won? She rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah."

The heavy footsteps of armored soldiers sounded down the road. A white-armored Imperial stormtrooper with the orange pauldron. "You lock down this street. We'll take the others." Two soldiers with E-11 blasters marched toward them and accosted pedestrians for identification.

"It's not safe to loiter around here." The woman turned and scurried off toward the two suns.

Ahsoka grabbed her shoulder before she could take two steps. "Where's the spaceport?"

The woman pointed at the freighter launching above them. She looked left and then right before clutching Ahsoka's arm. "Follow me." They scurried around a few corners and hid in a doorway before emerging into Docking Bay 3-5. No ship in sight, but parts peppered the alcoves.

"Quick, get inside."

The DUM pit-droid chattered at the mechanic.

"Put it over there, and remember I'm the only one here if the stormtroopers come calling." She led Ahsoka into her office. "Peli Motto." She held out her hand. "Who are you?"

"Fulcrum."

"Funny name for a Jedi." Peli grabbed a thermajug and slurped some water before handing it to Ahsoka. "Bottoms up, Jedi."

Ahsoka stared into the container. "I am no Jedi."

"Well, you'd better tell me your name or don't expect me to help you."

"I don't need your help." Ahsoka approached the door but stopped at noise in the hangar.

The pit droids beeped and whirled as the stormtroopers questioned them.

Peli pushed a button under her desk, and the heavy safe slid to reveal a trap door. "Quick! Get down there and don't make a sound, Jedi."

Ahsoka slid to the ladder that extended below the office but stopped before heading down. "Just tell me one thing first."

"What?"

"What year is it?"

"Five ABY." Peli pushed on Ahsoka's montrals and replaced the safe just as the stormtroopers knocked on the door. She settled in her chair with her feet on her desk. "Can't a girl get a nap?"

"Open up in there."

"Hold your eopies. I'm coming."

Ahsoka clambered down the ladder for meters. Dim light permeated just enough for her to see the rungs. Finally, she reached the ground. Lights flickered to life across the room. Mismatched parts, a workbench, and a Gonk-droid littered the area. She caught a glimpse of something big through the double swinging doors.

Rushing through the hatch, Ahoska tilted her neck to see eight meters above. Gleaming black, the Imperial TIE fighter overwhelmed the hidden hangar. Drawing on the Force, she flung herself on top of the cockpit, four meters above her, landing with catlike stealth on the fuselage. When she popped the hatch, a hiss escaped.

Even if this thing doesn't run, I should be able to get a message out. But how do I keep it from being traced? Ahsoka hopped into the cockpit and started a preflight check. She flipped the toggles to bring up the displays. Life support, check. Fuel, check. Coaxium? TIE fighters don't have hyperdrives! Navicomputer?

With an impulsiveness her master would have applauded, Ahsoka fired up the engines. Using the Force, she depressed the hangar door above her, sand streaming onto the cockpit viewscreen. As the TIE lifted above the ground, Ahsoka Force-pushed the stormtroopers against the deck, obstructing their vision.

"Come back here!" Peli shook her fist at the craft. "Crazy Jedi!"

Ahsoka throttled the engines, roaring into the sky before transitioning into hyperspace.