Ask The Child Catchers

[Dash Pavan]

In the end, the rock gave. The top section shook, dislodging from the base and sliding mercilessly down. The three Imperials busying themselves below never had a chance. The huge mound of stone fell before they even noticed, crushing them beneath its weight.

The collapse attracted the attention of the other troopers, all five rushing to help. It gave them the perfect opening.

"You head for the children" Dash said to Vand, motioning to their makeshift prison. Set them free and send them back in the direction of the village". He gritted his teeth. "I'll go for the weapons, deprive them of what I can, then we can take on what's left".

It sounded like a good plan, but that did not make it so. Nonetheless, he clapped Vand on the shoulder and said a silent prayer to the Force before sliding down the ridge. Reaching the base, Dash grabbed the spare weapons and ammunition and hastily began throwing them into the trees all around. With any luck he could rob the Imperials of most of what they needed before they even noticed he was there.

@LouJoVi

 

[Vandirak Hastakor]

Vand nodded, Dash’s plan was plausible. However, the half-Nagai wasn’t happy with the fact that he would be the one dealing with the children. If teenagers were already insufferable, kids were even worse. The Padawan stopped this trail of thought, it made him feel like an old man.

“Good luck.” the half-Nagai said, before turning toward the direction of the place where the Imperials were helding the children as prisoners. Vand carefully climbed down the ridge, avoiding any sound that could attract the attention of the soldiers. The collapse of the rocks that two Padawans caused would leave them distracted for some time, but it didn’t mean that they couldn’t be alerted to their presence.

It didn’t take much time for Vand to arrive at the place where the children had been held captive. It was a cage and several young children were inside it. They gathered in a corner when he approached. “Don’t fear. I’m a Jedi and I came to help.” he said, before activating his lightsaber and starting to cut an opening.

Once he finished, the half-Nagai turned back to the children. “Come out one at a time, and stay in silence.” he whispered, while gesturing for them to walk out. While the kids reluctantly started to leave the cage, Vand saw a very interesting pile of objects in a nearby table. All of them were extracted from the ruins.

He decided that after all the children walked out, he would give it a look.

@Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash had nearly scattered most of the weapons when three of the remaining men rushed him, the other two darting towards Vand.

The soldiers seemed to decide they were at too close quarters to shoot, so pulled vibroweapons from their sheaths and leapt towards him. Dash knocked one down with a Force push and darted to one side, igniting his saber and parrying a blow from another. He reversed the man's attack and slashed him across the chest, sending him down.

The third man seemed to decide the game was up, grabbing a box of equipment and throwing it at Dash to buy him time as he fled, disappearing into the trees. Dash threw the kit off him, hurrying around some packing crates to deal with the man he had knocked down.

A sudden snarl to his right made him dodge instinctively, as a huge war hound leapt past him. The beast had been tied up out of sight but had either been released or broken free of its bonds in all the commotion. It rounded on Dash, malice in its eyes, rearing up. The Rhinnalian threw up a hand instinctively, wanting to stop the hound but having little time to focus his thinking.

Strangely, the hound paused, still barely its teeth but frozen on the spot, as if puzzling Dash out. The Jedi had the strangest sense he had connected with the creature in some way. But how? He had never done that before.

Curious sensations filled Dash's mind, confusion, fear, even hunger. Was he feeling the hound's emotions, understanding its thoughts? He pushed his own senses outward again, seeing if he really could commune with the beast. Its ears pricked up in response and its stance seemed to soften.

Run Dash said mentally. Get out of here. The hound paused briefly once more and then turned tail and ran off after the fleeing man. The Jedi barely had chance to take it in.

@LouJoVi