Eol allowed Lira and Kwest to stay in her house for the night. Despite the outside looks, it was a comfortable home. Before they left, Kwest made sure to give Eol a number to contact them by as well as a rendezvous point.
Flying through the alleys again, the wind in her face, Lira felt refreshed. She let out a satisfied sigh. In the distance they glimpsed the sun rising and its orange glimmer on the skyscrapers. Soon the bright rays filled the city with energy and light.
“Oh, how pretty!” Lira declared, gazing at it. A few more minutes passed, and Lira slowed the speeder down.
“What is it, Lira?” Kwest asked nervously.
“Someone’s following us,” she replied.
“Not someone. Something,” Kwest whispered.
Lira brought the H-class speeder around a corner and silenced the engine. The two friends hopped out of the speeder and hid behind it, blasters drawn. They waited a few moments.
“Ya hear that?” Kwest breathed.
“Shhh…just a few seconds,” Lira murmured.
A buzzing sound grew louder and louder, coming slowly toward the corner. It was very close now. Kwest gripped his blaster, gently placing his finger over the trigger. He held his finger there for a few moments, then let go. Blaster fire rang out; Lira shot just moments after Kwest.
Both blasts hit their target. Kwest ran over to the smoking debris of a sentry droid.
“Hah! A spy droid,” Kwest announced.
“It must have followed us from Eol’s house!” Lira figured.
“Eol’s house! But that must mean…!” Kwest trailed off.
Lira and Kwest looked at each other, holstered their blasters, and jumped into the airspeeder.
Kwest piloted the speeder back to Eol’s house. There was smoke rising from it. Killing the engine and boosting out of the speeder, the two ran inside.
“Eol!” Kwest shouted.
Lira joined in. “Eol!”
The interior of the house was in shambles. Chairs were tipped over, and blaster fire had scorched the walls. Some droids lay smoking in heaps on the floor.
“We missed her!” Kwest exclaimed.
Lira walked into the room where the large computer screens occupied the walls. They were still there. All but one was shut off so it blended with the wall. The screen still activated was a security screen of the alley to the south of the house. Lira jogged over and looked at it, brushing the keys on the panel.
Suddenly an image appeared. It was Eol.
“Kwest, come quick!”
He ran inside. “What is it?”
“Look!” Lira said, pointing at the image.
“Hello, Kwest and Lira,” the image whispered. “If you are watching this, I was already captured by the Dark Empire. Don’t worry. It wasn’t your fault. Every week, droids do a sweep of the area. I forgot to warn you, and this time they did more than casually look over this area. Please don’t blame yourselves. I’ll be alright,” Eol said, then the image faded.
Kwest turned away, a sad, but angry look on his face. Lira walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
“It’s okay. We’ll find her,” Lira comforted.
The computer beeped. “This computer will self-destruct in 30 seconds,” it stated.
“Self destruct! But that’ll take out the whole house!” Kwest said, looking around.
“Well obviously, Eol wanted it to!” Lira returned. “Let’s go.”
Taking one last glance around, Kwest followed Lira to their speeder. They hopped in and behind them, Eol’s house exploded. Millions of pieces of debris flew around them and smoke rose from the burning remains.
~--~
The debate that Kwest and Lira came to see was basically a feud between the Loyalists, who had their hopes up, thinking that the Republics still existed, and the Imperials, who wanted control and power.
On the Loyalists’ side was the creation of resistances on planets who opposed the Dark Empire. The Imperials, of course, hated this, so this debate was concerning what to do about the resistances.
“I don’t know why the Emperor still holds debates and trials,” said Kwest as he and Lira walked to the Senate building. “He holds so much power, it’s not logical to have debates! They are going to come to his favor eventually!”
“Maybe he just wants to show the people that their representatives and delegates are still working and doing something,” Lira suggested.
“Yeah, probably. It’s just to show off his power,” Kwest said dryly.
Kwest and Lira walked into the building, and took the lift to the Senate room. Sitting in the guest seats, they waited. The Senate capacity was a vast, circular room, consisting of many round platforms that had a set of repulsorlifts, and could eject and float around the room.
The Senators, delegates, aides, ministers, and the Emperor slowly gathered into the large room, taking their respected seats. Lira eyed the Emperor. He looked calm. Of course, guards were stationed everywhere, but she sensed a darkness to him and, also, an unresolved conflict. The Emperor’s aide and right-hand man, a cocoa-gold skinned Promickan named Ten’Kil, stood up.
“Order in the Senate!” Ten’Kil called out in his hoarse voice. The senators and audience stopped talking, and the Emperor rose. “Emperor Ovnall of Galeon,” Ten’Kil said, gesturing to him.
“Greetings, senators and guests,” the Emperor declared. “Today we will decide what to do about these resistances.”
He spoke the word as if it was a curse, thought Lira.
“These rebellions have already sprung up on many planets. Our forces are keeping peace so far, but we are alarmed of further insurrection,” he continued.
“Peace?” Kwest whispered to Lira.
“I am curious of your opinions. The senator from Hotalia may come forward,” the Emperor said.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” the red, heat-resistant skinned senator said. His repulsorlift platform lifted and floated into the center of the room.
“Fellow senators and guests,” the Hotalian started, “These resistances are way out of place! The Empire is trying to keep peace, and these citizens decline it?! I say that if they do not follow the Imperials Policy and Law, they should be punished! The Empire wants peace, not war!”
A vibrating applause vibrated through the room, and the two presidents of Zatship Drive Yards watched as the evil smile on the Emperor’s face grew larger.
“I think this is it,” Lira whispered.
“Yup,” Kwest said sadly.
He looked around the room. Some senators had left their seats, others looked sadly at their fellow applauding senators, but most were yelling and cheering.
“Order! Order! “Ten’Kil called.
Emperor Ovnall stood up again, “So it is agreed that the Empire will take any means necessary to punish those who break the Law and resist the Empire?”
In answer, the Senate dome shook with applause and yelling.
Let's see...
“Oh, how pretty!” Lira declared, gazing at it.
from me. As always, I'll hit the next bit tomorrow.