Enkindle: A Way Out

Aegon and Inna dragged Ulaan out the office - the blood on her had dried into her clothing. He took a quick look at the man and woman inside, he didn't know exactly who they were yet but he would remember their faces. As they crossed the threshold outside the office the doors closed. The Rebel agent looked down at his feet in disappointment, then he looked at Ulaan quivering, then lastly to Inna Keokea with a single tear dropping from her eye. "He'll be okay Inna I just know it. Don't worry..."
"He's a hero."
"He saved us all," Baron tried to smile, he couldn't. He lifted up Ulaan, even with his damaged shoulder he was determined to get her back to safety.

Inside Abalam's office Niko was still on the floor. The Grand Admiral approached the Farghul, he wrapped his fist around Trantis's hairy neck and lifted him up. For a man obviously in his fifties he was strong. "You had your way now I'll have mine scum!" Abalam tightened his grip. "You are nothing, nothing to me! You'll die as will your pety cause. The Empire will never fall, the future is now and you have no way out Farghul."
"I'm... no... Rebel," Niko struggled.
"That's not what I just saw, you'll die for your actions. You'll be executed for your assistance in an attack on an official facility. But first, a few torturous years in a labor camp will do you well!" Darsh Abalam threw him across the room breaking some furniture. Luando jolted to a stand, she hadn't seen so much power in an individual like that for a long time. "Never cross me again!" Abalam screamed. He leant over and picked up his blaster, slipping it into his holster. "Commander Luando, get this prisoner transported to the cells on the Malice. He'll be interrogated immediately. We won't play any games with this one,"
"Very good Grand Admiral." Luando raised her hand and saluted.

Aegon, Inna and Ulaan had finally made it to Point Esk. Aurora and Kye were waiting sat together on top of the large Varactyl creature Phenix. They were surrounded by downed - likely dead Stormtroopers. Kye looked over to Ulaan and then looked back down to the Varactyl's scaly skin. "Here's the information for General Dodonna, deliver that physical weapon too. I wish you the best of luck and send him my well wishes." Baron placed the data disk in Aurora's hands. "I'm sure our paths will cross again soon," he smiled, shaking both the young Rebels' hands - first the girl and then the boy. They went on their ways as the sunlight began to fade on Denon.

Inna held Ulaan tightly against her, the more they progressed back to the cell's base the slower she had become. "She's dying," Inna cried. They both gently lay Ulaan's body on the dusty concrete surface below. "I can't no more further-" Ulaan ghasped.
"It's okay Ulaan, we can get you medical attention. Just believe in yourself," Aegon tried to comfort her.

Ulaan's eyelids flickered. "My time has came to an end. But at least I'll die on this planet, this planet I called home," her words were slow and breathy. Inna lifted this lady she hardly knew and wrapped her arms around her. She had now seen firsthand the tireless struggle of the Rebellion, thoughts of leaving her old life behind and joining their cause bounced around her already troubled mind. "You'll succeed, the Empire will be no... more!" Ulaan let out one more fierce speech, then her eyes quickly closed. "We'll make it so," Aegon promised. Inna Keokea cried again but with even more tears than before. Baron looked down at her body feeling like he had ultimately already failed although he knew that they had made more progress today than in a very long time, he placed his hands together. "We'll remember you Ulaan. Not just me, Inna, your soldiers. No not just us, the whole Alliance will remember you Ulaan I promise." He pulled a blanket out of his supplies bag and wrapped it around Ulaan's pale body. They did what they thought was right and returned Ulaan to the people who knew her best - her cell.

Agent Aegon sat on the Nimble Dragon with Niner at his side. "Nimble Dragon you are clear to leave Denon airspace," came a gruff staticcy voice through the ship's communications. "Received. Thank you tower, initiating climb." Aegon was relieved he had finally seen the back of Denon at least for now, he hoped that if he ever did have to return to this world it wouldn't be for a very long time. He had sworn that if he did come back he'd remember the legacy of a brave Rebel warrior that fought for her world's freedom, he'd remember the Farghul gangster and unexpected friend he had made during his time here. Keokea walked in. "I guess you're stuck with me for the time being, where to next?"
"Wherever they decide." Aegon puffed, he looked to Niner and then to Inna. He switched on the loud ship engines and finally the Nimble Dragon was back in the skies.

Trantis sat in his cell onboard the ISD Malice. He didn't know where he'd end up next, hell all he knew the Empire could throw him out in deep space. Abalam entered, he observed the Farghul gangster from behind a glass screen for a moment. "I've been looking you up... Niko Trantis. You have an interesting history, I must admit I've always found criminals rather fascinating. From what I can tell you have no prior involvement with the insurgency on Denon and the insurgency as a whole across the wider galaxy. But I won't let you go free, we'll transport you to a world where you will fulfill your sentence and upon completing said sentence you'll be executed. Understood?" Abalam smiled. Trantis looked at him with a blank expression, he had been stripped of his personal belongings and dressed in Imperial prisoner jumpsuit. "We'll drop you off in whatever Imperial prison we next come across. Off Denon just in case you try and call on any old friends to break you out. Good day." Abalam stood up and left the holding cell. Across the stars Inna sat in the Nimble Dragon, somewhere in hyperspace. She sat thinking of Trantis. She knew he'd find a way back to her, she knew he was resourceful.

To Be Continued...