Chapter 8: A Broken Bond Part 8

"Good, I might need you for the coming days. R4, get us out of here."

The R4 astromech droid beeped excitedly and scooted between the two friends. HE began to access the controls, taking control of the ship and directing it toward the sky of Naboo. Both Crystaall and Grey-Kast sat in their respective seats and fortune smiled upon them since no Tie-Fighter went after them. Once they shot out of the atmosphere, Crystaall punched the hyperspace trigger, launching them out into space, firing past the massive Imperial blockade that barely had time to notice them. It had other plans than taking out another stray civilian freighter.

The fighting wouldn't stop, and it was almost dawn. The brilliant sky would have been beautiful if not for the onslaught that had taken over Theed and its glorious palace. Inside, sat the Queen on her throne. She sat with her legs crossed and all of her make-up was removed, revealing her old, partially wrinkled face. Her hair was brown just like her daughter's and her hands were intertwined and placed on her lap. The hair reached her rear, and she still wore the elegant dress she had been accustomed to wear for parties. Unfortunately, there was no party to celebrate, only a battle that was slowing edging its way to her doorstep. Blades of steel and sounds of blaster fire clashed. These sounds of battle were followed by over-head dogfights and the screams of those who died in battle. To the Queen it was horrifying, but it was even worse for the young men who had so eagerly followed her rule. She knew they would be fortunate to survive, and even more fortunate to die quickly by the Empire's battalions of soldiers. Even the clone squad that gave its oath to protect her was out fighting, holding the ground. And then, as suddenly as it started... the sounds of battle ended. The silence was something of ominous, for it was not expected or wanted.. Doors thrust open with a large kick, and several soldiers filed in as if they were here to make sure the area was secure. A single tear fell from her cheek as the Queen stood up. She walked down off her throne to see a man clad in a different armor than the others approach her. He held an other-worldly rifle than most, she couldn't even recognize the type. Its maker must have been standing in front of her. The Queen breathed deeply and closed her eyes.

"May I know the name of my killer?"

"Jigual, my Queen. Your death will bring rise to a new Emperor."

"My death will only fuel a fire. A fire that consumes everything that threatens its existence."

Jigual raised his weapon and pulled the trigger. The sound of a single blaster echoed the halls of the palace. When it had returned back to its owner, the man under the mask smiled. Another plan had been successfully executed, making his leader another step closer to leading a better and more stronger Empire than the Emperor's.

And just as the excitement of being able to save her mother began to creep its way into her heart, it had died. Pain shot into Crystaall's heart, almost forcing her to keel over as they shot out of hyperspace to see the Rebel Alliance's fleet. Their fighters circled the cruisers and command ships like drones. The Force was a power most could not recognize even if they tried. And this pain represented how powerful it truly was. Tears flowed from her crystal blue eyes as she held her chest in pain. She knew she was too late. A pain that had come from nowhere, and the knowledge of how ridiculous things were in her small world already... she knew the truth. Death had taken her mother. But not of natural causes, Crystaall's ability of the Force sparked up quickly. She began to search past the pain, to try and understand who had killed her mother. The power of even the old Jedi could not perceive how one would be able to tell what this stemmed from. A name entered the girl's mind and that's when she looked up. The tears had dropped from her eyes even faster now. And hidden behind the sadness, lay a fire burning of passion, strength and courage. But it was possibly too late for the fire to ignite into that of something greater.

"Death is a natural cause of life."

Chapter 8: A Broken Bond Part 7

Now she was truly running off adrenaline, bursting full of energy and fire in her eyes that revealed her determination to succeed. All of the troops that came down to gun her down, received no mercy. Crystaall jogged down the hallways, expecting to see her mother and the Royal Guard defending themselves against invasion, but what she found behind almost every corner were Imperial Stormtroopers. Each hallway was crowded with dead men and women from each side, fractured paintings and pieces of rubble from walls and decorations. But this couldn't account for the destruction she knew the Empire could cause. They were toying with the Naboo Defense Force and she knew they could annihilate the capital if they truly wanted to. But they obviously had a purpose for not doing exactly that. They wanted her mother alive, to publicly surrender to the Emperor's will. But Crystaall would not allow this, for her small bond with her mother would not be broken easily. She would give her life to protect her mother's life and ideals. Although her hatred for her mother's apathy was strong, she was the only person Crystaall knew was truly family. She thought she had looked through the whole palace until she spotted the entrance. The Queen stood in her make-up and fancy robes with her right hand up against her breasts, as if she was fearful for someone's life. Crystaall ran toward her and stopped suddenly when her mother turned to her.

"Crystaall... please tell the Alliance of the Empire's destruction here. I'll even give you my seal."

The Queen walked up to her, pulling out a small holocron, able to fit into almost any pockets. She dropped it into Crystaall's hands, and the young girl clutched the device between her fingers that tried to form a fist.

"Come with me, we can escape the planet and warn them together."

"It is my duty to stay with the people my beloved daughter."

"I-I-I understand. But I want your word."

"What is it?"

"Stay alive. If I can't leave you, the Empire cannot take your life."

"But you-"

The Queen now looked at Crystaall's eyes and then her in a whole. The girl was breathing heavily, pistols in hands. Her eyes were burning and dust covered her dress and the black boots she wore were scrapped up.

"Ok.......go, and tell about this destruction. I have many men willing to die before I do. Even if the bloodshed is not needed."

Crystaall nodded and began to walk back toward the Hawke. The Queen returned to looking out the entrance, blaster bolts and shouts from soldiers were heard outside the palace walls. Crystaall took one last look at her mother, in her beautiful decorative dress and sighed. She then whispered to herself 'I will come back for you' Crystaall then began to make her run back to the Hawke. Hopping onto the ramp as it began to shut, she turned to face Grey-Kast who frowned at her.

"She chose to stay?"

"These people need her, more than I. We are setting course to meet up with the Alliance. They will be warned of this destruction."

"We can help a hell-of-a-lot more than warning some rebels."

"I will not deny my mother's wish. You can always jump ship, smuggler boy."

Grey-Kast put his hands on his hips as they both entered the cockpit. Crystaall turned to face him and he sighed.

"I have nothing better to do, girl."

Chapter 8: A Broken Bond Part 6

"I know... I know."

Crystaall wasn't even listening to her friend anymore. Instead, she was telling herself this as her body was struck with immense pain and adrenaline. It wasn't something she was used to, and she definitely didn't have any way to cure the pain. The strike of her back against harsh metal really hit her spine, which she couldn't even tell if she had shattered something or not. But she decided to keep moving, allowing her eyes to open wide and blink for a moment. She nodded at Grey-Kast and raised her right hand, still holding the blaster pistol.

"Look... I think they can handle this, but you need to bring me to another balcony so I can search for my mother."

"Crystaall-"

"I realize I'm already in pain, but she is my priority. I still don't know everything and I can't let her die. She's doing something most politicians would have nightmares about."

The Queen's ideas and memories was something she would like to have, but that wasn't even half of it. She was Crystaall's biological mother and she couldn't just let her mother die on the battlefield. Although her mother would never truly understand Crystaall's feelings toward anyone nice to her or helpful to her, she wanted to at least tell her story, and hear about her past from someone who lived through it. That was her priority. To save the woman who in a matter of seconds turned into someone she adored and would seek revenge for if death ever came early for her.

"You could die... do you realize this?"

"I realize that I have found a purpose."

"R4... get us to another balcony, and fire up those guns as well."

The droid beeped happily and made his way toward the cockpit, firing up the guns to attack the Imperial Tie Fighters that struck the hull of the Dragon Hawke. The hot blaster bolts fried any pilot that came even close to firing a shot off at them. The Hawke quickly made its way toward another balcony and Crystaall just straightened out her dress and checked her pistols for damage. Slowly and steadily, the ramp soon lowered to another balcony, but it was torn up and the flower arrangements on its guard were covered in dirt and rubble. From a small look inside, the young bounty hunter could see that there was a red rug and many decorative heads in this hallway as well as paintings. She began to walk to the edge of the ramp and then suddenly a hand reached her shoulder.

"Come back alive kid."

Crystaall only smiled and charged off the ramp with a small run, rolling onto the balcony and rising up with pistols pointed at several Imperials, who turned only to get gunned down by the many shots that came at them from one direction.

Chapter 8: A Broken Bond Part 5

She had to go off instinct, and she could see the troopers were too eager to pull the trigger. Sweat dripped down her face, afraid of what could happen if she failed to pull this off. But she couldn't worry about it. Her fists clenched as she ducked to the floor, hands taking up the pistol and firing upon the two soldiers. The blasts hit them deadcenter, maikng them fall backwards and leaving their squad leader to stumble away from their corpses. Using the Force unintentionally, her second pistol flew to her left hand. She then turned and darted toward the balcony. Blaster fire whizzed past her and all she could do was hope she was right on her assumptions. She got up to the balcony's ledge and leaped up, her left foot hitting the air and landing on the small fence-like ledge and pushing off into the air. Everything was just a blur. She didn't know what came over her. Perhaps the adrenaline of a battle hit her. Maybe the A.I took control for a small while, afraid of losing its life if Crystaall died. She couldn't make it out of what was the true cause, but it was evident she was capable of such feats. In mid-air, Crystaall had managed to turn around and fire both pistols at the squad leader and his fellow troops who managed to chase her to the balcony. She lit all of them up, with the wind against her face and she could barely care to question how perfect her aim was. Then a moment later, her back hit harsh metal and she curled up, rolling backwards and the floor. The floor lifted up and she began to roll more as she then hit a wall with her back. Breath escaped from her lips with a large moan and a quick, heavy breathing. She blinked serveral times and then managed to look around. She had landed inside the Dragon Hawke, rolling up the ramp and hitting the opposite wall. R4 stood infront of her, his beeping was very excesive.

"Don't worry R4, I'm fine. Just a little winded right now."

Grey-Kast then appeared to her left with his hands against his hips and smiled. She could see a tear from his right eye, but she dismissed it. She knew already that the rodian cared for her life. How much her cared was another story.

"Lucky I got to you in time. We need to hit the Empire hard with a quick counter-attack."

Grunting as she slid her back up the circular wall, Crystaall stood up with her eyes wincing here and there. It was obvious she felt pain, but she couldn't rest. Not when the Empire had decided to strike with an intent to kill. The immediate intent to take control of this system, with no care for the lives that were lost.