Ask Community Service

[Riley Elin]

There had been countless warnings against visiting Gamorr, and Riley ignored them all. She had a habit of putting herself in dangerous territory, and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon. This time, she found herself at an encampment where human settlers had come under attack by Gamorrean clans. Women and children weren’t spared in the massacre, and the initial task she faced was to help collect the bodies.

Now she was in a tent tending to the wounded, covered in sweat from the blistering heat and humidity of the planet. Mosquitos swarmed all around, and the villagers were extremely poor. She had been able to bring rations for the visit, but it wouldn’t last them beyond a few days. The Gamorreans had killed the livestock and set the crops ablaze, and they had gotten away with it all.

Riley had worked a few times with Ender before, and he had assisted her with several issues regarding Frenzies. As a result, she couldn’t think of anyone better to ask for assistance in dealing with the prospect of a Gamorrean assault. Riley had been shifty and awkward, not one to find it easy to ask for help. After stammering over the comms for about ten minutes, she finally managed to choke out that she needed some help.

She had contacted him the day prior, knowing it would take him time to arrive on the scene. For now, she turned her focus back on the wounded, tending to a woman that had taken a nasty blaster bolt to the side of her face.

Night was approaching fast, and she worried about another attack coming.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender was struggling with his own thought since Mandalore. He saw the real mask, it was living and breathing right in front of him. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that whoever claimed to be the Eternal now was nothing more than just a regular Sith like him. Ender didn't want to come face to face with any Sith for the time being as he really didn't know who he could trust. Thankfully, that's when Riley called him for assistance and even listened to the whole ten minutes of it before agreeing to help. It was a convenient "break" he was willing to go on.

The Tie-Hunter he acquired pierced through the sky finally and Ender made sure to keep a respectful distance away from the coordinates he was given. His true nature was still hidden from Riley and it still didn't need to be revealed by him. The ship touched down in between some trees before finally shutting off. The hatch opened and Ender jumped out from it and landed with a soft thud. He wore suitable clothing for the environment and in the same color to camouflage him slightly. He wicked his hand over the ship and branches, limbs of trees, and whatever other shrubbery was pushed to conceal it upon sturdy inspection.

With that done, he checked the coordinates and made his way toward her. By the time he reached the village, the sun was starting to set as he walked in. It was easy to spot Riley and Ender pulled down his mask as well as his hood before approaching her, "Good to see you, Doc." He gave her a nod before sliding a backpack from his shoulder and holding it out to her, "Brought some food. It's not much but it will help." She explained the situation to him and he only brought enough that he could carry but it was something.

 

[Riley Elin]

Riley had to inject the woman with many painkillers before she finally calmed down enough to allow her to tend to the burns. It was clear the woman would lose her eye, and Riley had to wince and find a way to make the experience less painful. The woman likely wouldn’t be able to afford a cybernetic eye replacement, and she would instead have to wear an eyepatch for the rest of her life.

“All this for simply living life and minding your own business here…” Riley whispered softly, her tone quieter than the woman’s whimpering cries. She finished up with the woman and walked away, just in time to spot Ender. He was a welcome sight in all this, even if she looked disheveled and sweaty.

“I feel like its been years since we’ve seen each other,” Riley gave him a tired smile. She gazed at him for a moment, catching what she thought were hints of gold in his eyes. Perhaps it was a trick of the light… Riley cleared her throat, realizing she was staring and looked away quickly, “And I’m Riley, remember? With how much you call me Doc I feel like you forget my name.”

She walked out of the tent, leading the way for him. She pointed out at the broken down barriers the villagers had set up. The able bodied people began to set up new fencing and barbed wires again. Riley explained the attack and shook her head, “They’re simply not prepared to handle another attack. However, they refuse to leave this place. I’m worried they won’t be able to make a stand and get completely wiped,” She spoke in a hushed voice, not wanting any of the villagers to hear.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender managed to catch the whimpering cries of the woman Riley was treating but he still couldn't see her before Riley greeted him. "It has been a while." She gave him a welcoming smile but he noticed how she stared at him for a moment and he couldn't figure out why. He tried to pass it off, "Trust me, I haven't forgotten your name, Riley." Certainly not after what they experienced against the Frenzies in the cave.

When she turned around, Ender quickly used the force to return his eyes to their normal color as that could have been the only thing that stood out. With that finished, Riley didn't take the backpack, so he just put it on a nearby table and left it there for someone to use when they're hungry. He followed her out of the tent and towards the barricades that were being set up around the village, his eyebrow arching slightly. The attitude of the village wasn't comforting as people continued to put up defenses but they reeked of despair but also hope.

Ender breathed it in for a moment and glanced at the sun before finally turning toward Riley, "If another attack is coming we need to evacuate the wounded and children. It's too late now for a full evacuation but we can still get them to a safer place than this. As long as they stay here, they have a bullseye on their forehead." It's what he would do if he was planning the attack. It would only shatter the spirit of the remaining defenders. "Do you know the situation regarding armaments for both sides?" He would ask a villager but he needed reliable information and the only person he trusted there was Riley.

 

[Riley Elin]

“Armaments?” Riley asked with a grimace, “They have… pitchforks and farming equipment,” She turned to look at Ender, “These are defenseless villagers. They’re not equipped to fight anyone or anything whatsoever. This settlement was largely ignored, but only recently they’ve been coming under attack. There’s no explanation why other than perhaps a Gamorrean clan wanting to set up base over here.”

Gamorr was a largely rural planet, and the weapons used were generally primitive. The Gamorreans used rudimentary blasters and weapons to attack, but even that had been enough to seriously damage the village. Riley walked towards the semi barricade, crouching down as she poked a bit of wood that toppled right over.

“There’s nowhere to evacuate them,” She said quietly before standing up again. Riley turned to Ender and sighed, “I’m sorry, I don’t even know why I asked you to come…” She looked down at her feet, “It’s a hopeless situation here. I was desperate and thinking we could do something, but there’s….nothing.”

Humans were a minority on the planet, and they wouldn’t have any outside help. Riley rubbed her chin in thought, “The only thing I can think of is perhaps another human settlement, but everyone keeps to themselves and the nearest one could be hundreds of miles away.”

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender's gaze scanned over the barricade as he listened to Riley explain the situation even further to him. It was grim, to say the least. He had his lightsaber tucked underneath his clothing but in order to maintain his cover, he openly carried a blaster pistol and a vibro-sword. The sound of pitchforks and farming equipment as weapons wasn't appealing as well when they facing an enemy that had blasters and actual weapons. Ender walked over to the barricade with Riley and crouched down as well to look through the hole that she made.

"Well Riley, with that attitude it really does seem hopeless." It wasn't an ideal situation but he was here now and they had to make the best of it. "We'll need to speak to the chief or whoever is in charge of this village. There has to be somewhere they know that is safe for them and maybe even another settlement." Ender stood up and was about to walk back with the doctor but that's when the sound of blasters erupted from the north. A pack of Gamorrans ran from the trees, holding a blaster in one hand with an ax or another primitive weapon in the other. They shot a couple of times and a few villagers were struck and causing the rest to turn and run to their homes.

Ender pulled out his blaster and fired off two shots with one missing and the other striking one of the Gamorrans in the chest. He forgot about Riley as he dashed forward toward the intruders with his vibro-sword out in an instant. He took cover and flicked his fingers, making one of the Gamorrans trip and fall to the ground with a squeal. Ender popped out again and fired off two more shots that easily connected into the back of the target on the ground. There were only three left and after having two quickly die, they turned and ran from the village and back into the treeline.

Ender stood out from the cover and made his way back to Riley. "That was a vanguard. We don't have long before the main assault will actually arrive. We need to speak to the chief." If they could evacuate at least some of the village, it would be better for them then nothing.

 

[Riley Elin]

Riley couldn’t help but scoff at his comment about her attitude - it was a comment she would have expected from a typical dad lecturing a child. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, focusing back on the task at hand, “I’ve tried that already - the woman is stubborn as a bantha,” Riley looked around to make sure she wasn’t being overheard.

Before she could say anything else, blaster bolts rang out. She screamed and dropped to the ground, unsure on what else to do. Despite being in danger several times, she was no combatant in any shape or form. She winced as the bolts kept coming, but Ender was quick to jump to action. Riley watched him as he quickly got to work, effortlessly diffusing the situation and causing the attackers to retreat.

She rose to her feet when he came back, nodding at his words. Riley didn’t spare a moment, rushing towards a large tent that was guarded by two villagers. After much pleading, they stepped aside to allow her and Ender to pass.

“Please!” Riley called out to the elderly woman that was sitting on a cot inside the tent, “Please, there is another attack coming! We have to evacuate everyone!”

The woman gazed up with her wrinkled face, beady little eyes narrowed into a glare. She silently turned to stare at Ender for a moment before looking back at Riley, “I already told you. This is our home. No one will leave. We will live and die here.”

“There are women and children getting killed, don’t you think they deserve better?”

“I don’t need to be lectured on my people by an infant,” The old woman croaked angrily, “You and your little boytoy need to leave me in peace.”

Riley sighed and turned to Ender, shrugging helplessly.