GODDESS ▷ BODHI ROOK

one.

SOLA SYKO REMEMBERED. She remembered a time in which a young girl could race through the streets of Jedha City without a care in the world. She remembered when her only worry was finishing her chores in time to be able to climb atop the roof of her childhood home and watch the sunset bathe the city in its golden light. She remembered the free citizens of Jedha sharing laughter and words of hope with no need to cower in fear or hide their political feelings.

Now, the beautiful city she once knew had been thrown into a chaos. The Empire's fist had closed around her home, casting a shadow across the once sacred city and tearing apart centuries of tradition. Kyber crystals were ripped from the temple, those who resisted were torn from their homes to be made an example of, and fighting between the invaders and freedom fighters had brought half the city to rubble. Whatever culture, religion, and sense of community the people of Jedha had once held in their hearts had been crushed out of them, and a dark cloud hung over the city in the form of a Star Destroyer.

When the Empire's forces had first penetrated the city, a ray of hope that one day they would be able to free themselves from their iron grip still shone down on the city's inhabitants. People like Sola's parents fought back, and for a while, it seemed like they were chipping away at the Empire's forces, and that they would soon be able to revert back to their peaceful lives on Jedha. If only they hadn't underestimated the Empire.

Infuriated by the citizens of Jedha's refusal to cooperate, the Empire doubled the amount of troops that were already on the planet in an attempt to stamp out thoughts of disobedience. Any whisper of revolution, any hint at defiance, and fathers, mothers, and children were executed for everyone to see. Those who refused to yield to the new order of the Empire tried to keep the spirit of Jedha alive- in secret they delivered hopeful words to their fellow citizens and organized attacks that aimed to shatter the forces that occupied the city- but these loyal Jedhans were soon found and killed. Sola's parents were two of the many that lost their lives for their homeworld.

For a long time, all hope seemed to be lost. That is, until Saw Gerrera arrived.

Carrying decades of military experience, he organized and coordinated an insurgent force against the occupation. Under his leadership, the once scattered and disorganized revolution became a skilled, resourceful, and effective force. Suddenly, hope began to swell in the hearts of the Jedhans that had been fighting for freedom as they proved themselves again and again to be a true threat to the Empire's presence on Jedha. Even the arrival of a Star Destroyer above the city, casting an ominous shadow over their home, didn't manage to sway them. It only proved what they had been trying to voice to the Empire all along: The people of Jedha were not to be trifled with.

In the months that Saw had taken leadership of the insurgency, the people of Jedha had been making a lot of headway when it came to pushing the imperial forces from their home. But now, with the information that Saw had received from one of his inner-city spies, they truly had a chance.