The Siege Begins

Previously...

"One more thing Niko."

"What's that?"

"Don't go and get yourself caught by the Empire. Is that understood?"

"They couldn't keep me in long enough last time, ain't no way they are going to again," Niko Trantis laughed. The Nimble Dragon dropped on a suitable enough piece of landing ground adjacent to the temple. This would be the best time to crush the plans of the Empire.
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The non-droid crew of the Nimble Dragon made their way into the huge temple, small squadrons of Stormtroopers tried to fight them off. Agent Aegon dashed behind a fallen pillar for cover, blindly firing his blaster pistol over the top of the pillar. "You two are you okay?!" he shouted to the others over the gunfire.

"Don't worry about us," Inna replied.

"We've got this!" Niko added.

"Keep them off me!" Aegon launched from behind the pillar, he dodged the fire overhead as best he could, the projectiles screeched as they missed him. The agent managed to knock a few of them over. Then Inna noticed a few of the Stormtroopers catching onto their little scheme, they turned to Baron Aegon. Trantis swiftly got them while they weren't focusing. "I owe you for that one," Baron thanked the Farghul. It was now clear enough for the rest to follow Aegon into the temple.

"The majesty of this place," Inna said stunned.

"This isn't the time for sightseeing Inna," said Aegon. The three of them made their way into the turbolift. The journey underground provided them with a brief moment of respite, they looked at each other trying to catch their breath. "Ready?"

"Ready as ever," Inna said, Niko Trantis nodded in agreement. The turbolift stopped, the doors flew open, and the Stormtroopers were already waiting for their arrival. No surprise there. The crew flew into the routine of action, getting cover where possible.

"Ah!" Aegon screamed, a blaster bolt skimmed his right shoulder.

"Aegon!"

"Don't worry Inna, I'll be okay." Baron in a fit of rage gunned down the responsible trooper and then turned the weapon to the rest of the trooper's squad.

"Get him!" ordered the trooper captain.

"Yes sir," replied the squadron. They unleashed their wrath upon Aegon who was now hiding behind an ammo crate. Another bolt hit Aegon, this time in his upper arm. He let out a cry of pain. As fast as they could Keokea and Trantis defended their friend, they eventually got the lot of them. The troopers grunted one by one as they fell stunned to the ground.

Inna Keokea dashed to Aegon, helping him to his feet. "Are you okay?"

"I've been through worse," Aegon lied, he'd never felt a pain like this before. With the aid of the Twi'lek, they soon reached a dark tomb, inside was a woman, she didn't look to be an Imperial. She wasn't alone, a frightened protocol droid raised its arms in fear.

"Hands up now!" Trantis hissed.

"Don't shoot," the woman asked, she carefully raised her hands, she seemed to be unarmed.

"Who are you?" Agent Aegon asked.

"I'm an archaeologist, my name is Adna."

"You with the Empire?"

"I'm a freelancer, they just hired me to scope this place out," Adna explained. She knew exactly who these people were, these were the Rebels that had knocked the power out and caused all the quakes. "Were you bombing the temple?"

"Why does it matter?" Aegon questioned.

"You can cause a lot of damage, what have the Cereans done to deserve your fury. You're destroying history!"

"We were bombing the perimeter - we don't intend on destroying the temple."

"My advice be more careful next time, not everyone down here is an enemy." Adna began to approach the Rebels, taking it slow enough to not startle them. "You want to cuff me?"

"Don't do it Miss Zaitoona," begged the protocol droid.

"I trust her, I sense good in her." Inna smiled at the archaeologist, throughout her life she had learned how to easily tell apart the bad from the good. She too had learned how to tell apart the confused, imprisoned, and forced from the bad. "Come with us."

"But I haven't finished my survey of this place."

"Then come back when the Empire is gone!" Niko ordered. He clutched his fist around Adna's wrist.

"Get off!"

"Niko, you don't need to manhandle her. She's not the enemy." Inna looked angrily at Niko, then lead them out of the tomb.

"Come on Q-Threepio," Adna commanded.

"Right away Miss Zaitoona."

TBC