Chance Encounters Part E
Sitting on a small metallic bench, Jol stared vacantly into a small heating unit his mother had brought out to cook up a late dinner. His father had joined her in the small shelter, puttering around with some tools and records he wanted to store away.
The night brought a cool air through and Jol brought his old worn coat more tightly around himself. He shivered slightly. Looking up and saw that his mother, Denna, was returning to the cooker. She looked quite happy, putting a small pot out for warming. She began stirring the pot’s content and looked over at her son with a smile. She leaned in to smell the food, and whispered to her son, saying, “Jol, honey, you want to try some?”
Shaking his head, he lightly said, “Why don’t you have dad test it for you. Personally, I’d like to live a few more years.”
Laughing slightly, she threw him a wooden spoon. “I don’t know where you get this sense of humor, young man. Just try it, for your mom.”
He easily caught the spoon and moved over to the steamy pot. Digging into the food, he tasted some. It was good, well passable at least. Seeing what they had for supplies and what they all had to share, his mom always found a way to make it work, especially seeing as she had other matters to handle daily. Her own work was teaching the young the basics that most children should know. As refugees, school should have been at the bottom of the list. Still among the Jedi, it was a must. Learning was the duty of all beings of all ages. She did what she could to be sure that the kids around here got what she could offer.
Looking at his mother, he said, “It’s good.”
Nodding, she suggested, “Lying to me? I don’t need to be a Jedi to see that."
He opened his mouth and she quieted him. “Now don’t worry. I appreciate the nice words. I’m sure your father will have no trouble telling me the truth.”
Looking back, she checked to see if he was coming out yet to eat. She shook her head, saying, “I don’t know how he keeps busy when dinner is waiting.”
“The food?”
Looking annoyed at her son, she said, “Watch yourself, or you might not be getting anything tonight.”
Roaring suddenly became very intense above the camp. Mother and son both looked up. Other groups began to take notice as well. All were unsure what to make of it. It was usually a rare vessel that passed over this area, a reason the sight was chosen, but now it was becoming apparent that traffic was growing. Jol knew that many in the camp were already reaching out with their minds to see past clouds and the growing darkness. His father appeared out of the makeshift door now, looking up and concerned.
Denna looked to her husband, asking, “Kanter, what…”
That was when the first blast hit. It was bright, loud, and intense. A home on the north side of the camp exploded, spreading debris and fire all the way to where the Tarkins stood. Then countless other blasts exploded into the camp. Striking other shelters. The Tarkins, as well as others, took shelter and scanned the area around them. From above hover vehicles began descending and shooting. From areas around the camps, it sounded like other forces were entering from the ground. Looking to where his parents were he was his mother pressed down low, hiding. She had a grip on his arm and was looking to keep Jol with her and safe.
The sound of fire was deafening around him. From what he could separate from the rest, it seemed that the Jedi in the camp were beginning to fight back. They were outgunned, surrounded, and who knew what else awaited them.
Trying to talk to his mom over the chaos, he asked, “Where’s dad?”
Trying to stay low, she just repeated, “Stay still, Jol. Stay down.”
His father quickly appeared now. Panting, he said, “We’re surrounded and it’s definitely the Empire.”
Touching her husband’s arm, Denna said, “Kanter, do you mean…” She didn’t finish her thought, leaving it hanging.
Kanter merely nodded. Securing a worn satchel in his hands, he pressed it into his son’s hands. “Hold on to this, son.”
Confused, he looked at his father. “What?”
Looking at each other for a moment, his parents looked quietly at him for a moment. His mom quickly spoke, “With the Empire here, we might not survive this. We need to be sure you survive this. You have to understand how important this is.”
About to protest, he was cut off by an increase in weapon’s fire.
His father put a hand on his son and pulled him out of the protective cover. “Let’s go. We’ll find an opening and you’ll slip out. Remember the emergency plan.”
Greatly befuddled, he was pulled up. Moving quickly, they ran along the protective cover. He wasn’t sure where his father was taking him, he only wished this was a bad dream.
Book One Index