𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊, 𝔡𝔦𝔫 𝔡𝔧𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

THEY LANDED AMONG the dirt and twigs with a loud thud. Panting, Sevara looked to Mando, her heart hammering from both the adrenaline and the comforting presence of his palms against her waist, holding her close. With her chest flush against his, she looked to him, her face mere inches away from his helmet as she stammered, "Thank. . . thank you."

Mando nodded, the chin of his helmet dipping a fraction as he looked her over, saying, "Of course. Are you okay?"

"I think I'm good, thanks— but, are you?"

"Never better."

"I hope the plan worked," said Cara, looking from the raging flames to the two of them and raising a slight brow at their state.

Rustling emerged from the woods beside them, alerting the three as their heads whirled towards the shadows. From deep within, a pair of red, beady eyes arose from the trees, accompanied with a deep whirring sound.

Sevara shot Mando a frantic look, scrambling off of him as she hauled him to his feet, ensuring Cara was by their side as Mando shouted, "Go. Go!"

The AT-ST rose, it's footsteps thumping across the forest floor, chasing the three of them as the ran. Wind rushed past Sevara's ears in harsh waves, her hair whipping against her cheeks as she focused solely on putting once foot in front of the other, ducking down as a blast shot their way.

Bursts of flames bloomed beside them as the blasts struck against the earth. Sevara jumped out of the way, stumbling slightly as she regained her footing, pushing harder than before when the village came into view.

She trailed Mando, sliding into position behind the barriers beside him, with Cara on the other side. The former rebel glanced around to the villagers in their places, announcing, "This is it! Once that thing steps into the pond, it's goin' down!" Two scarlet specs loomed in the distance, trees creaking as the machine advanced. "Weapons ready!"

Alongside the villagers, Sevara aimed her blaster at the machine, watching as the AT-ST pushed past the confinement's of the forests edge. It stepped towards the village on a steady path, with each pounding step sending a chill down Sevara's spine.

"Just a few more steps," Mando murmured, glancing to Sevara and the former rebel.

The AT-ST was mere metres away from the pond, and Sevara swore she felt her heart stop as the machine hesitated, it's foot hovering inches above the water. It reared back, regaining its footing as it stretched taller, sizing up the village that seemed tiny in comparison to the monstrous sight before it.

Two words left Cara's lips, confirming what everyone wished to be false, "It stopped."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

A BLINDING LIGHT flashed from the mouth of the machine, surveying the barricades for any forms of life. "Get down. Get down!" Mando instructed, ducking below the handmade walls as his palm pressed against Sevara's shoulder, pulling her close to his side as the rest of the villagers followed suit.

Hunched beneath the barricades, no one dared to make even a whisper of noise. The AT-ST stared them down with its menacing gaze and Sevara knuckles turned white as she gripped the hilt of her blaster, watching the machine to decipher it's next move.

The ground trembled beneath them as the AT-ST fired a violent blast of red towards one of the huts, leaving to wooden shack to erupt into flames. Casting a worried glance back, a sigh of relief escaped Sevara's lips as she squinted through the shadows, thankful that the exploded hut hadn't been the one housing the children.