Chapter 7: interrogation
A few Days passed. The cook made an Uj cake for Scootaloo. She enjoyed the cake. The entire crew was glad that she had survived. It was a traumatic experience for Scootaloo to be close to death, but the crew of the Stormy helped her as well as she could.
Right now, Scootaloo was playing with Forren and Tokrin in one of the Recreational areas. Table tennis. One of Forren's favorite games to pass the time.
After a good game, Forren tickled Scootaloo. He and his wife did this often with Ray to have fun or to cheer him up after a bad day. It made him sad that he had lost his family and that memory filled him equal with happiness and sadness but he tried not to break down in front of Scootaloo.
Scootaloo tried to catch her breath, “This was fun! We should this again sometime.”
“Sure thing, Scoots.” Forrens heart melted every time he saw Scootaloo happy. She didn’t mind it that he used her nickname.
“Yes we will.”
“Attention. Rebel troops are attacking our base at Trasse. We have been dispatched to aid our forces. Prepare for ground assault,” An intercom announced.
“This time, I watch my step,” Scootaloo joked a bit. But this time it was different.
A Rebel transport had landed in the hanger bay. “Sir! Rebel troops have landed on our ship! We can’t launch our fighters!” A TIE-pilot said via comlink.
“Calm down pilot. Get out there and destroy that transport. Any means necessary to clear the hanger,” An officer ordered.
TIE-pilots along with Marines and Stormtroopers were fighting in the hanger.
Scootaloo stayed in cover. All Imperials protected her with their lives. Forren was hit by a Rebel marine, but the armor protected him. The transport however, was deploying too many Rebel reinforcements.
As soon as Forren got up, he heard Scootaloo screaming. A Rebel trooper had grabbed her to bring her on the transport. “Stop them!” Forren screamed in anger while shooting at the Rebels and the transport, but careful not to hurt the filly.
The transport leaved with Scootaloo. “No! Captain, the Rebels have her!”
“Don’t worry, Soldier. Ion Cannon, fire!”
Forren saw how the Rebel transport was disabled by the ion Cannon of the Stormy.
“Sir! The Rebel transport! It’s crashing into the asteroid!”
“Send down a rescue team immediately!”
Forren wasted no time to get into a shuttle along with a squad of medics.
On the surface of the asteroid, Ian contacted Forren, “We located the crash site of the transport. Its west of your location. I ordered a troop carrier to you. The shuttle stays here for a quick evacuation. Good luck. Ian out.”
Just as the transmission ended, the carrier arrived. “Don’t take too long,” The pilot of the shuttle said to Forren.
After a while of driving, they arrived at the crash site. “What a mess.” Forren saw the wreck. It was on fire and broken in half by the crash. There were corpses everywhere.
Someone coughed. “Hello?” Forren turned his flashlight on and pointed it at the smoke. Sure, with his helmet he could see in the smoke but the medics couldn’t since they had a uniform that was similar to the AT-ST-pilot.
“I surrender, don’t shoot,” A voice of a young man begged.
“We won’t hurt you. Step into the light.” Forren could see a young Rebel trooper with Scootaloo in his arms. She was unharmed but unconscious. The trooper was no older than 18. He had black hair and blue eyes.
He limped. Forren gently took Scootaloo out of his arms, so that the medics could treat him.
The Rebel trooper was scared. Forren could see it in his eyes. “Aren’t you a little too young to be a Rebel trooper?”
“I joined the Alliance after the Empire killed my parents in the Massacre of Abridon.”
“Sorry to hear that kid. I’m loyal to the Empire, but I do not like the brutality of it. I was trained to never engage the locals unless they provoke me first. I’m a Soldier not a murderer. After I found this filly, I swore to myself that I would bring her home and would protect her from any harm.”
“Honestly, I do not know if it was a good Idea to join the Rebel alliance. When the filly was on board, she was scared to death. She feared and pleaded for her life.” He looked guilty at her.
“You did the right thing. What’s your name?”
“Kevin Ren.”
“Forren Storm. We should return to the Stormy. And don’t worry; my Captain is a nice guy.”
“This is Shuttle *static* we’re under *static* by Rebel…” It ended abrupt with static.
“Looks like our only shuttle was destroyed. Maybe we should go the next Imperial base.”
“Good idea.”
“What was your mission?”
“General Taskeen wanted that we bring her to him. He feared that she would have the same fate as my parents.”
“Ugh, not again.” Scootaloo woke up. She found herself in the troop carrier.
“Don’t worry Scoots, you’re safe. This young Rebel trooper saved you.”
“Kevin Ren, nice to meet you.”
“Scootaloo.”
“I just hope that Ian isn’t too worried. The shuttle was our only communication option with him.”
There was a sound of engines. “I know this sound. Y-wings! Get out, now!” Kevin shouted. He made it out in time with Scootaloo and Forren. The bombs killed the medics and destroyed the carrier.
Heavy troopers surrounded them, “Hands up, Imperial scum!”
“Okay, just don’t shoot,” Forren surrendered.
A Rebel trooper stunned him. “Good work, trooper. Now, let’s bring her to the evacuation point. After this, we retake Abridon.”
Then there was the sound of a walker. “What the? Oh-oh. AT-STh! Run!”
The Rebels except for Kevin were too focused to save themselves. Kevin grabbed her and ran as fast as he could. Scootaloo screamed in fear as the AT-STh aimed his weapons at them.
Then she felt great pain. She passed out from it.
“Captain, she’s regaining consciousness.”
“Keep her restrained.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Scootaloo awoke with a scream. She tried to move but to no avail. “Where am I?” She was scared.
“Welcome on the Inquisitor. I am Owen Kenten, the Captain of this ship.”
“Where’s Kevin?”
“He was a traitor of the Empire. He was executed with the rest of the Rebels. And you shall meet the same fate.”
“Please don’t kill me,” Scootaloo pleaded.
“Don’t waste my time, Rebel scum.”
“Please I tell you everything I know.” Owen just looked cold-blooded at her.
“I don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
“The Rebels are planning to retake Abridon. I don’t know when but it is a very important goal for them.”
“Grand general, did you hear that?” Owen asked via comlink.
“Indeed I did. I will send out spies to confirm the rumor. If the Story is true, we will provide Scootaloo, as the Rebel called her with a swift execution, instead of a long and painful death.”
“But… but, I gave you good Information! Please don’t kill me!” Tears formed in her eyes.
“Your Emperor thanks you for your cooperation. Send out the spies.”
The well-known breathing sound of Darth Vader filled the room. “Wait. I will deal with this one myself.”
“Oh, Lord Vader. As you wish. She’s all yours.” Owen leaved respectful the room. Once he leaved the room, he felt short of breath, slightly tugging at his collar. Then he started choking.
“You have failed me for the last time, Captain.” The breath and Voice of Lord Vader echoed in his head before he fell dead on the cold metal floor with a quiet crack sound.
“Please, Lord Vader, I beg you…”
“Don’t worry, little one. I’m here to get you out of here.” He pushed a button. Scootaloo looked at it in fear. She relaxed as the button set her free.
Vader tried to forgot his past, but the filly reminded him when he was her age.
“Thank you. Why are you helping me?”
“You know, you’re reminding me when I was your age. I have lost many people that I loved. And you’re shall not meet the same fate I had.”
Her mane was messy and her coat was dirty, so he used the force to clean her. She was also breathing heavily.
“Fate? Is this reason that you are wearing this armor?”
“I had a terrible and painful accident in the past. I spare you with the details.”
“O-Okay. I just hope that the probe droids are successful.” While they walked to the hanger bay, Vader sensed the fear in Scootaloo about seeing her family and friends never again.
Switching to old behavior, Vader just said, “I find your lack of faith disturbing. I will provide whatever you or the Stormy requires. And I won’t tell my master about this. You have my word.”
“Thank you, Lord Vader.” Vader also sensed that one probe droid was close to success. But he also felt a threat. He could not sense what kind of threat it was.