Rise

Chapter 9

Warning: contains intense violence/gore, sensitive material

*********************

Do monsters make war,

Or does war make monsters?

*********************

We start running immediately.

I hear my heartbeat quicken, feel the rush of blood through my veins as I follow my squad down the ramp and across the field.

There are rebels pouring out of their ships everywhere, rushing out and almost instantly raising their blasters to fire at enemies. I look to my right and see a soldier fall to the ground, only a mere ten feet away. Blood sprays onto the ground and I look away, feeling my stomach do a flip.

My heart is pounding furiously, and I feel myself growing dizzy. The only thing that keeps me from stopping is Han, who's running in front of me. I wonder what would happen if he was shot right now; what would I do?

Han leads us to a boulder, and we all get behind it, crouching. I feel adrenaline starting to make my fingers twitch, and I try desperately to control it. I had to think.

I'm fine.

I can fight.

Looking at us, Han looks worried. "Alright, there's a squad of troopers up ahead in this copse of trees. We fight our way through the trees, and then we'll be in the city. After that it'll only take about two minutes to get to the Citadel," he eyes all of us, and we nod. I think I nod. I don't remember. "Let's move." Han commands, and Luke and Leia start running almost before he gives the order.

Han looks at me and says, "You doing okay?"

I don't get a chance to respond as a blaster laser fires into the ground, inches from my feet.

My heart almost stops as uncontrollable fear latches onto me, but then I feel my fingers grip my blaster and jump up, shooting the trooper who'd shot at us in the leg. The trooper lets out a shout and I put a bullet in his head.

Without saying anything, I put one of my swords back into its sheathe and I start to run again, one hand holding a katana and the other my blaster.

Han follows me; I hear his feet pounding against the earth as we run after Luke and Leia, lasers firing everywhere, and I pray that no one picks me as their target. My heart doesn't slow down, but suddenly I feel less afraid. Instead, I feel determined and alert.

I see swords clashing against swords, snipers sniping one another across the field. I hear soldiers dying and blasters firing. I smell death and I taste salt from my own sweat.

As we reach the edge of the trees, Luke slows down but doesn't stop. He puts away his gun and pulls out his lightsaber, picking up his pace again. I think that I should get mine out too, but I'll wait.

Suddenly I don't feel the sun beating down on my back as we dash into the cover of the trees, and we all pause behind a fallen tree. Our breathing is ragged and deep as we struggle to breathe.

There's no blood on any of us. Not yet. I get the feeling that by the time this fight is over with, we'll all be painted red.

We crouch there behind the tree, breathing and trying to compose ourselves. My head is pounding and my fingers are quivering. Adrenaline is going to kick in soon, I can feel it. Once I'm up close and personal with another soldier, I know that it'll start rushing through my blood.

"Where are the troopers?" Leia gasps, her voice strained. I look around, feeling my heart beat faster at her question. There aren't any in this small forest. It is, at the very least, suspicious.