Deadly Intrigue

Chapter 1: Battles of Separate Kinds

Just a warning: if you haven't read my previous story, Abducted, I recommend you do so before reading this story. There will be major characters and plot-points that are from Abducted that are important here, so if you haven't read about them, I heavily suggest that you do to further enhance your 'reading experience.'

Disclaimer: Star Wars: Rebels belongs to Disney, which is like, a thousand miles from where I am. If heading over there would miraculously give me ownership of our favorite Rebels, be-li-ev-e me, I would be gone.

The rain made the ground slippery.

That, of course, was true for any planet. But the fallen leaves made for treacherously slippery ground, and the cloaked figure running across them knew that only too well.

Being pursued by at least twenty men in white armor, the figure didn't exactly have time to carefully choose their footing. The best they could do was run as fast as their long, slender legs would allow, and curse whenever the foliage betrayed them. Other than that, there was no time for anything. The men chasing behind the figure were trained well, and their armor gave them more traction on the ground than the figure's own soft boots did.

A red blaster bolt hit a tree to their immediate right, and they slipped violently, only barely managing to stay on their feet. They really didn't like the rain.

"Don't shoot to kill! Stun only!" At least I've got that going for me.

The figure's breath was fast and erratic under their hood, and they knew they couldn't keep up this pace forever. But the soldiers behind them showed no signs of tiring, and they had ranged weapons to pick them off when they lagged. Over all, this was not an ideal situation for them to be in, especially since the only escape vehicle was miles and miles away. In the opposite direction. Heavily guarded. They would have groaned if it wouldn't have caused their breathing to distort even more.

This was just the perfect situation. Usually, the hooded figure's frequent recon missions went smoothly, even if their over-all goal failed. The figure hadn't been able to find a suitable time or place or anything else to help them high-jack the off-world transport the soldiers had for over a year, and since their own was broken, they were stuck here on the moon. Still, though, they had never been seen.

Until now.

The figure jumped over a fallen tree, long wet cloak slapping against their legs, and they realized: there might be a way out of this situation. This was the territory just a few miles from a huge cliff that fell to insane depths...if they could lure the stormtroopers there, it would prevent the Imperials from circling around and overwhelming them...

Should I fight them? It might just be more troublesome for me later... but if I just eventually lose them they'll send out more search parties... well, they'll send out more search parties either way.

What do I do?

Ezra Bridger narrowed his eyes, willing them to adjust to the darkness faster. So far, the only things he could see were blurry shapes in the distance. Whenever he tried to look directly at them, they became fuzzy and blurred, so the almost seventeen year old was forced to simply look at nothing while his eyes adjusted.

Easier said than done when you're fighting a man who could spring out and attack you from any direction at any time.

Focus. You know this place better than anyone. Remember all the nooks and crannies? Which ones would he be able to fit in?

Ezra started as a noisy clatter rang out around him, sounding just as violent as a canon shot in the silence. That came from over there... could it be a trap? Ezra's eyes narrowed even lower, but this time out of thought. His target was a crafty one, and the noise could very well just be an attempt to distract Ezra from finding the man's true position.