Paradise Lost- A Star Wars Fan Fiction

Chapter 1: The Mute- 6 BBY

"Do you have that thing working yet?"

"No, not yet." Jakeb was under a table with tools, trying to get it to turn on.

"I'm so bored and all we have is the Holo-Chess set! If it's broken I'm gonna start massacring people," Niles said.

Jakeb laughed. "Don't say stuff like that." The table sparked and the holograms blinked into place. "It's working!"

"Perfect! Now let's go to the bar and get some drinks."

"I don't know, man..."

"Look, I know your mom doesn't want you to because it's 'dangerous' but we've done it a hundred times and the owner doesn't care."

Jakeb sighed. "Alright, fine." He began packing up the Holo-Chess set as Niles celebrated. They snuck past his mother's room, hearing snores echo through the apartment. They stepped out the window onto a small bridge between buildings. Smog hung over them as the clanking of machinery was deafening, a sound that Jakeb was long used to. The city of Nular was once used by the Separatists to build battle droids until it was claimed by the Republic and given a new life. However, once the Republic turned into the Empire, the city was once again used to create weapons of destruction.

He saw the white armor of the stormtroopers below them on patrol.

He tapped Niles and pointed at the troopers, lifting a finger to his lips. Niles nodded and they continued creeping forward. They traversed a couple more buildings before descending into the bar.

Upon entering the bar, they saw the usual customers slumped over and breathing heavy. Most of them were conscious, but all were silent, the only noise being from two Bith musicians playing in the corner.

"What can I get for you boys?" the bartender said with a gravely voice. "The usual?"

"Yes please," Niles said, throwing some credits on the counter. "Two Bespin Pots."

"Coming right up."

Niles smiled at Jakeb. "I told you we'd make it in safely."

"Yeah, I already knew that. I just don't want Mother to notice I'm gone."

"Why are you so afraid of her?"

"You have no idea. She's a helluva lot more scary than any of these punks." Jakeb shuddered. 

"Keep your voice down! Do you want to get us killed?"

"Relax, half of these guys are out cold. You wait for our drinks and I'll get set up in a booth." Jakeb trudged past drunks who glared at him, but he didn't pay them any mind. He sat in a booth and pulled out the Holo-Chess set.

Niles came over and set their drinks on the table and they began playing, betting credits on the games. Wins and losses went back and forth, although Jakeb won the majority. Niles always accused him of cheating, although he had no idea how he would. Jakeb would shrug it off and say he got lucky.

"One day, I'll get enough credits to get out of this hellhole," Niles remarked. "And I'm taking you with me."

"Oh yeah? Where would we go?"

"Somewhere away from the Imperials. Did you see what they did to Old Badge last week?"

"Hard not to when he's swinging from the town hall," Jakeb said with a grimace, feeling like he was spewing acid talking about it. "Where could we go where they're not? They're everywhere, Niles. Everywhere." He shook his head. "My mom spoke of the couple years of peace here in the old days, how everyone got halfway decent jobs and the economy was thriving. She even said she met a Jedi."