Starlight

After gathering their supplies they set off into the woods. The sun was starting to set and it felt like they hadn’t made any progress. Two more had died from their wounds. The medics were worried the lack of medicine was going to cause even more deaths from infection and disease. Night wasn’t focused on their chatter though. He was searching the surrounding area through the Force. He felt like they were being watched. Ever since he had found that stream the feeling never left him. He felt nothing through the Force but he couldn’t shake the premonition that they were being followed. A dark shape flitted at the corners of his vision. John called a halt to the march. Night turned to the front to find what looked like large wolves. The only problem was that they were made out of sticks and leaves.

“What are those things?” John asked

Night pushed in front of him and ignited his lightsaber.

“I have no idea, but they don’t look friendly. Weapons out! Look alive! I would bet fifty credits they didn’t come alone.”

As he said this more and more of the creatures stepped from the wood-work. The lead one growled at Night. Both groups stood in a tense silence, until one of the soldiers loosed a shot. It hit the lead wolf in the eye. The creature yelped in pain and the rest leaped forward. Night met the first one head on and cut the creature down the middle. It collapsed and he smiled at John. The look was not returned and Night turned around to find the thing pulling itself back together. Night gathered a ball of Force energy in his hands and shoved it at the healing wolf. It scattered into pieces. The other two he faced thought it better to run than fight, so they did. Night turned around to find that most of the creatures were pulling out. The sight almost made Night smile until he saw what they had left behind.

Ten bodies lay on the ground unmoving. They were mangled and torn. The last medic went around to each shaking his head. Most of them had been unarmed, medics or wounded. The remaining survivors were scared out of their wits. They looked to him and John for orders.

“Let’s get moving, we don’t want to be here when they come back.”

“But what about the bodies, sir? We can’t just leave these saps to be eaten.”

A few soldiers nodded in agreement, but John shook his head.

“We’re going to have to leave them. We don’t have the time to bury them nor the power to stave off another attack. I’m sorry, but we have to go.”

The soldier who had spoken up looked to be on the verge of tears.

“But, but what about my brother?”

He gestured towards one of the bodies. John walked up to him and pulled him into a hug.

“I’m sorry about your brother Mac but we can’t stay here. We have to get moving.”

The soldier broke down into tears. Night walked over to the medic.

“Do you have anything to make him sleep for awhile?”

The medic nodded

“I do but someone will have to carry him.”

Night stuck his hand out.

“I’ll carry the lad; just help me calm him down.”

They both walked over and injected the soldier with the medicine. He slumped over and Night picked him up. John slowly shook his head.

“That boy just lost his last family member; the rest had been killed by pirates a few months back. It’s the only reason those two came, to get revenge on the scum of the galaxy.”

Night just nodded and the group walked on into the forest in an uneasy silence.

They trekked until the sun was gone. The came upon a small clearing and began to set up camp. While Night lit a fire, John spoke to the rest of the group.

“Listen up! I’m taking a hunting party out to find some fresh meat and I need a few volunteers.”

About ten soldiers raised their hands and the hunting party left. Night lit the fire and walked over to a tree on the edge of the clearing. He slumped his back against it and closed his eyes. It had been a long day. He dozed slightly until he heard a branch snap on the other side of the camp. He looked up to find the medic relieving himself. Night grabbed a pebble and chucked it, hitting the man in the back of the head. The man looked over his shoulder to see Night grinning back. The medic just shook his head and finished his business.  Night chuckled at the man’s expense and went back to dozing. Then the arrows started coming down.

They started in ones and twos, and then started raining down more and more frequently. The soldiers watched as the arrows thudded off of their armor. Eventually one started laughing because soon they all were. The only people not laughing were Night and Master Durron. They both casually diverted arrows that were aimed towards the heads of the oblivious soldiers. The squad leader was laughing the loudest.

“Look at the poor saps, can’t get through our armor. It’s funny to watch them try.”

Master Durron scowled at him.

“Watch for the arrows coming at your heads, fools. Your skulls may be thick, but not that much.”

As if to prove his point he caught an arrow aimed for his head and snapped it in two. The squad leader gulped and shot his blaster off into the air. The hail of arrows stopped.

“Alright get back to work. We can’t let some pesky natives get the best of us.”

A beam of light similar to a blaster shot struck him in the back of the head. He collapsed face first into the dirt. More similar beams of light struck the other soldiers. Soon he and Master Durron were all alone. Master Durron raised his lightsaber to block one of the beams to find that it passed right through. He collapsed to the ground and Night stood by himself.

He clipped his lightsaber to his belt and pulled a broken log to him as a shield. It blocked the bolt but shattered after the impact. He continued blocking beam after beam in the same fashion. With each hit he backed up farther and farther until he was backed against the tree. He brought his forearms together and two logs followed suit. He shoved them towards the point where the beams were coming from, then turned to the fire. He fed the fire air and fuel through the Force and it blazed into the sky. Night dove into the woods at a Force enhanced sprint.

“I’ve got to warn John and the others” he said to himself. He skidded to a stop to catch his breath. A flare crawled through the sky. Night took off at a dead run towards the spot where the flare was launched.

“No, no, no, No, NO! I can’t let them be killed!” He ran as fast as he could to the flare. He ignited his lightsaber as he jumped into a small clearing.

He collapsed to his knees. The field was empty save for a few burned holes and weapons.

“DAMN IT!”

Night slammed his fists against the ground, leaving two small craters. He kneeled for what seemed like hours and cried. He had been helpless to save one of his only friends. Now he sat alone save for a small clutter of weapons and utter silence.

Night glared into the darkness with a pile of weapons by his side. He pulled out a flask and took a swig. The whisky burned down his throat. He allowed his senses to dull as he tried to piece together what had happened. They had obviously been ambushed by a larger force with superior weaponry. What Night couldn’t understand was why he hadn’t been attacked yet. He had launched five different flares into the air and yet nothing had happened. No lights, no arrows, no signs of intelligent life. Nothing.

A branch cracked behind him. He jumped to his feet and ignited his lightsaber. He shouted into the darkness.

“YOU DIRTY RAT HOLED FODDER! COME OUT AND FACE ME LIKE MEN! YOU COWARDS DON’T WANT TO STOP UNTIL WE’RE ALL DEAD? FINE THEN! COME OUT AND FACE ME!”

A beam of light danced towards Night. He ducked under it and summoned one of the blasters to his hand. He released a flurry of shots towards a shadow that was circling the clearing. The shots fell behind his target and he speared his lightsaber towards it. It struck. He walked over to where his lightsaber lay in the creature that had caused all this trouble. He pulled the saber to his hand and waved its light over the form, only to find…

“What the hell is this?!?”

Something struck his back and he flew into a tree. He tried to shake it off but then a shadow cast over him. He passed out with the sight of a very pissed off looking horse creature standing over him. He mumbled out a last few words.

“How the hell did I get beaten by a horse…?”