Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

13 BBY, Outer Rim Territory. City of Roba. 

It was their luck that it was the beginning of the wind season, for it did well to mask the sound of their footsteps. It whipped around the edges of the short buildings that surrounded them, the wind tunneling around each corner. It seemed to scream at them as it whipped violently at their long cloaks, threatening to tug off their hoods. It was difficult to hear over the sound of it, Farlan nearly having to shout from where he brought up the back of the group. 

Despite that, the night was clear overhead as they moved through the empty streets, gravel crunching dully under their boots. They moved as a single unit, keeping to the shadows dimly lit streets. Feeling along the edge of the jagged stucco wall as he moved down it, Levi kept his gaze locked on their path ahead. When they made it to each corner, he checked for signs of patrol. When he saw none, he gave the signal for them to move.

Roba was an entirely different city at night. Its vendors had long since packed up for the day, the streets devoid of its usual hustle and the sounds that came with it. He brings the group down another alley, checking each corner they pass for signs of stormtroopers lurking about. 

At the next street, he spotted an armed trooper aimed in their direction, a hundred or so yards off. Ducking behind the edge of the wall, Levi made the hand gesture to hold. He watched on as the trooper milled about, standing aimlessly in the middle of the street. 

Go, he wanted to shout. Just fuck off already. 

He watched this for a few long aggravating minutes. The patrolmen was appeared bored and not paying attention, or else he would be able to spot him on this street corner. Bucketheads. The wind whipped at their backs once more, rustling their robes. 

“Levi!” Came a forced whisper. 

He turned to looked at the three that trailed behind him. The last figure in their line tugged on their hood, exposing a boyish face underneath. Farlans usually placid features shown clear how anxious he was in this moment, the creases between his eyes more apparent with the way that his brows were drawn together. The other two figures between them stood like small statues, faces heavily shadowed under their hoods. 

“Stop stalling.” 

“Were already right there, if the coast is clear we need to go, now.” 

Not bothering to respond, Levi turned back in the direction of the street. Eventually, the trooper turned in a different direction and moved down a few streets over. Letting loose a breath he did not realize he was holding, he made the motion to continue. They were less than a few meters from the door now. Just a couple more streets to go. They clung to the wall of a tall brick building as they moved closer to the door, continuing to check for guards on patrol. He could see the edge of the blaster door coming into view.  

There were usually a set number on patrol at this hour, in designated spots above ground. On this block there were two of them that would keep them from reaching the door. Looking up, Levi could spot one in the usual position above a dark red building. It was an Imperial office during the daytime, and functioned as a patrol base after curfew. He turned his head in the direction of the spot opposite the street, where another trooper was perched. Both held Imperial issue blasters across their chests as they watched the street below. 

He waited for the signal as they held position around the corner. Once the team moves in, we will be able to move. He signaled back to his group, knowing they would have to wait for them to move in before they continued on the final push. Eyes held in position above the first lookout, he waited for the signal. He held his breath again and waited for it to come. 

“Where are they?” Came another whisper from Farlan, barely audible from behind him. The wind had picked up again. They would come, they just had to wait. As long as they held their position, they would come. 

Levi’s cheeks were starting to burn from where the wind hit them, standing still making him feel even colder. Soon enough they would be doing this in their winter gear. The hooded figure behind them shifted weight on to either foot impatiently, crunching the dirt underneath them. He continued to watch for the signal overhead for what felt like a small eternity. Finally, a small light flashed once above the guard deck. Twice. His eyes flickered over towards the opposite rooftop. There was another flicker of light. Then the second. Quickly as the lights flashed he could hear the sound of a soft thump. Then another. The guards were down. Levi turned his head back at them so they could hear him clearly. 

“Move!”

They rush towards the entrance, crossing the street as quietly as possible. Quickly punching the code to the blaster door, the four of them manage to make it inside. The door hisses and slides shut behind them and leaving them in complete darkness. Levi flicked on his flashlight that was hanging on his belt. 

“You guys okay?” 

He turned towards the two silent figures between them. Removing their hoods, the wary eyes of two children stared back at him. They both seem fairly collected given the situation, but it was clear to Levi that it was a well practiced front. The younger, a small human girl, put on a brave face that was almost convincing. The fear was almost hard to place in her expression. Her eyes were blue, almost gray, with curly blonde hair that was tied back from her small face. Her features were all quite sharp and pointed towards the middle, though it still retained some childlike softness. She nodded at him lightly, making it known that she could not form the words.

Her brother had all the same features as she did, it was quite clear that they were siblings. It was also clear to Levi from their collectedness that this was not the first time they had to make an escape to get off-planet. The path did that to all its members, hardened them to the realities of the world that they now faced. The older boy, no older than 16, looked to Farlan for affirmation. He dropped his hood and looked back at him with a soft expression. 

“Its okay,” Farlan soothed. His gaze flickering up to Levi. “We made it here, and the transport will come take you to the next spot. Getting here was the hardest part.” 

Farlan was always good at smoothing over even the most anxious of people, the air around him seemed to ooze confidence and calm. The boy smiled at him weakly before returning his gaze back to Levi. 

“It’ll be okay,” He repeated back. Levi nodded, and looked to Farlan. He smiled back at him, light and reassuring. 

Turning on his heel, Levi led the group deeper into the darkness. The place smelled of fuel and old paint, but at least it was better than the outside. The building was old, far older than the four of them, and it creaked and groaned when the wind hit it from the outside. At the very least it was not a place that the imperials inspected often, and was fairly secure. Heading towards the back of the building, He walked down long hallways to reach the ship yard. 

It was an yard that was semi-enclosed, there was an opening large enough for a ship to make it inside, though the rest of the area had an overhang. It was cold, but was enough to shield themselves from the wind. 

“Keep your hoods up,” Levi advised before pulling up his own. 

He could almost see his breath in front of him now, and he wrapped himself tighter in his cloak. Farlan was keeping the children entertained not too far off from where Levi stood now, he could just hear the whispers of the three of them. He was likely doing his usual speech about bravery and kindness, about taking care of those in need while fighting the Empire. It was a speech that Levi heard many times before, he could now almost recite it word for word. He was tired of listening to it. Farlan was much better at these sort of things than he could ever be, and on that front he was grateful. 

The kids sat on old crates as they waited for the transport to arrive, which they knew could take some time. Getting on-world through the planets shipping blockade could be tricky, but they were relatively guarded here from patrols. The blaster hung heavy from his hip inside the holster in his belt as Levi stood watching them. 

Farlan continued to talk to them in hushed tones, though it was hard for Levi to read their expressions with their faces shadowed by the hoods. It never got easier to transport children down the path, the weight in his stomach never seemed to ease. They seemed like good kids, well behaved and smart. They would have to be, if they were going to survive under these circumstances. It was stupid for him to feel guilty about it, there were so many children who had died before these two were born. They were lucky to have made it this far, they were lucky to be alive in the first place. 

It was difficult to think beyond the task that was in front of him directly. It was hard to think about the lives these two will lead. If they will be able to stay hidden from sight, if they will pass under their radar. What could happen next is beyond him knowing. His throat felt tight. 

He kept watch until the transport arrived. The ship was worse for wear but it somehow still managed to stay in the skies. It was rusty and always shook violently on its landing, but it served its purpose. It was a ship design he did not recognize, likely its design being pre-empire. The gate lowered and the familiar Twi’lek he knew as Boc'vida strutted down them, his usual pomp not to be missed even in the dingy hangar. He adorned his usual flight suit and accompanying boots, long head-tails bouncing behind him as he walked. Boc always had an air about him that made it known he was in the room when he entered it. 

“Boc,” Levi announced plainly in a way as greeting. He didn’t mind Boc per-se, but he was honestly just exhausted. The sooner these kids got off-world, the better. 

“Oh Levi, you always flatter me with the kindest greetings.” He goaded, crossing his arms. 

Levi ignored the sarcasm. “You get stuck at the blockade?” 

“It takes longer and longer to get through.” Boc sighed, flicking one lekku over his shoulder. “They searched the ship, but it really came without issue.”

“Without issue?” Levi questioned. “That could be a big problem for us Boc, you really should have lead with that.” 

Boc sighed again, his tone shifting. He was clearly getting more annoyed at Levis line of  questioning. 

“There is nothing I can do about the searches, if they're going to look they're going to look. The manifest is always clean, the identifications are always different.” 

“That doesn’t mean-“

“Levi, there is nothing we can do about this.” Boc interjected. “The blockade is unavoidable and the restrictions in other places are harsher than they are here. Its fine.” 

Levi goes to speak again, but Farlan interjects them.

“Hey Boc,” He greets sweetly, his hands on the shoulders of the children as he went to guide them to the ship. “This is Tamar and Milla.” He says, patting the two on either shoulder. 

“This is Boc, he will bring you to the next stop.” Farlan smiles sweetly at him, who nods in return. 

“Come, Ill bring you aboard.”

He brushes past the two of them and guides the kids in the direction of the ship. The boy, Tamar, brushes off Farlans hand and goes to stop in front of Levi. He looks at him for a moment before speaking. 

“Thank you,” he says with wide eyes. 

Levi looked back at him, unsure what to say. He had been through this exact situation many times before, but this part of it always makes his stomach churn. Its hard to find the words every time. Levi looked at him sincerely, almost with sympathy. It will be a long road for the both of them. He says the only words that come to mind. 

“Stay safe kid.” 

Tamar nods at him, his eyes shining with gratitude, and turns in the direction of the ship. They both watch as the three of them board. Just before he is out of sight, Tamar turns around once again. 

“May the force be with you!” He calls to them in a loud whisper. 

“And also with you,” Levi answers him, though the words that came from his mouth felt like he were eating sand. 

Then the three disappear into the hull of the ship, leaving the two of them alone. There is a moment of silence before Boc speaks. 

“There are rumors of Imperials traveling to Outer Rim planets, they seem to be on a bit of a sweep. I have not seen these for myself, but I am warning you now. Its best that you lie low for a while before they come to town.”

Levi let out a long breath. 

“You know its not like were a bakery Boc, we can’t just close up shop.” 

Boc scoffed. “You think I dont know that Levi? I am saying this as much for you as it is for me. You guys need to lie low for a while. Its a matter of time before they come here, and who knows what can happen.” 

“I think we can handle it Boc, but thanks for the warning.” 

Metallic footsteps sound down the plank, sounding off Farlans arrival. Boc looked back at Levi with a forlorn look, though he said nothing. 

“They’re ready when you are,” Farlan announced to the both of them on approach. 

Boc tears his eyes away from Levi to meet Farlans gaze. He looked tired, though he hid it well. 

“Its good to see you Farlan,” Boc says tiredly, though his tone was friendly. 

“Its good to see you too Boc,” Farlan smiled as he clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly. “Take care of those kids for me.” 

“Can do. You two take care of yourselves.” He replied, throwing Levi a knowing look before turning a final time to board the ship. 

They watch as the ship took off, metallic screeching sounding from somewhere in its underbelly. It shook a bit during its ascent, but managed to stay off the ground, and fade into the night. They stood in silence for a moment, and watched the dark sky for a bit longer. 

“That wasn’t too bad,” Farlan was the first to break the silence, in an attempt to lighten the mood. 

“Yeah I suppose so,” Levi sighed.  “Doesn’t make it easier though.”

“Yeah, I know.”

The way back was quiet, there were little patrol on the streets at this hour. They must have hit the shift change. it is almost morning, the sun about to crest over the horizon. There were no more words to speak to one another once they were inside, they were both far too exhausted. The living quarters at the back of the cantina was small and simple. There was a small fresher in the corner of the room, a table and cookstove on the other end. In the middle was a small table and chairs, enough for the two of them. There were two beds tucked away in the far corner, and a dresser on the far wall they both shared. The wood floors creaked as they walked across them, much to Levi’s dismay. It wasn’t a home, but it was a place to stay. Nobody bothered them here, and it was relatively quiet. 

Its Farlan that is first to speak, breaking the silence. He flopped down on to the small bed and threw his hand across his eyes. 

“It seemed like Boc had some choice words with you this evening,” He started, moving his arm to peer one eye over in Levi’s direction. 

“We didn’t have words,” he said over his shoulder, hanging his cloak on a hook by the door. 

“He simply does not think hard enough about the situation that we are in.” 

Levi moves across the room and stands at the edge of Farlans bed. 

 “The situation with the blockade is getting worse, its going to be harder and harder to come in and out of port. He tried to make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal, that troopers searching the ship and manifest wasn’t a big deal, but you know just as well as I do that its not going to stop there.” 

“Levi,” Farlan starts, adjusting himself to get more comfortable. “If Boc isn’t worried about it, we shouldn’t be either. There is nothing we can do about searches, and even if there was we would find a way around it. We always find a way.”

Levi moved to sit on the edge of his bed, his weight dipping the edge of it. He dropped his hands to his knees before speaking. 

“Thats not the point and you know it.”

Farlan groaned and flipped over to face the wall. His voice came out muffled from where he faced away from him.  “There is nothing we can do right now, we might as well get some sleep before we open in a few hours.” 

 He watched Farlans back for a moment, focused on the rise and fall of it. 

“He told me more.”

He turned his head slightly in Levis direction and waited for more. 

“He said that they are starting to do sweeps of the outer rim looking for information.”

The wind roars loudly outside. He let out another long breath. 

“Inquisitors are coming from every region to sweep systems for them, Farlan. Boc told me that we should lie low for awhile while they moved through.”

He flipped over to face him, brows pinched together. 

“Lie low?”

“Yeah, I know it doesn’t work that way. He knows that. We should be mindful of them coming at least.”

“Yeah,” Farlan agreed quietly. 

He rose to hit the switch on the wall, and their room fell into darkness. Light from their small port window is the only thing that filtered through, though it only was just enough light for him to find his way back into bed. Crawling under the covers, he laid on his back and faced the dark ceiling. He sunk into the old mattress and tried to get somewhat comfortable. it was worn and thin, the sheets now threadbare, and it was always cold in their quarters. His knees ached for some reason, and he twisted them side to side trying to get it to subside. 

He watched the ceiling and waited for more questions from Farlan. There would always be more questions. He almost thought he had fallen asleep before he spoke again. 

“You think this a real threat we should consider?” 

“Possibly.” Levi replies firmly but quietly. “There shouldn’t be anything that we don’t anticipate.” 

“Right.” 

His line of questioning was short tonight, he was probably as tired as he felt. Levi expected there will be more tomorrow. Eventually, he could hear his breathing draw long and even, the room stilling once again. Sleep never came easily to him, and he spent many evenings listening to the sound of it as he stared into the darkness. Soon it would be morning, and they would start over. He waited for sleep to pull him under, and hoped that the dreams would not take him with it. 

—

The chill lingered throughout the next day as they did their morning tasks, the cold cutting into the cracks of the windows as Levi wiped them down with a soapy rag. It would be likely slow today. The sky hung a low, a dismal gray. He would have to bring up his winter gear from the basement soon, even his thickest pants did not seem to do enough to keep him warm. They wouldn’t open till mid morning, but it was easier to get the tasks done now. 

Levi cleaned and did the books in the backroom while Farlan brought up the stores and set up the bar. It was a comfortable routine they were set in now, though Farlan knew better than to ask Levi about money. 

He had bought this small cantina several years back from a strange gungan who was desperate to sell it, and for whatever reason Levi could not find a reason as to ask why. Everyone had a reason to get off-world these days, and so he handed over the credits and the place was his. 

It was small but comfortable; the main bar was ‘o’ shaped in the center of the room, with some booths resided in the far corners, and room for tables in the middle. They didn’t bring in live music so there wasn’t a place for a band to set up, it usually was more trouble than it was worth. It mainly caused more attention than he wanted, usually from the “wannabe cop” sentries. This was a local bar, and they mostly served regular customers, and people who needed a place to do business. There was an occasional off-worlder transporter who stopped in for a drink, but for the most part Levi knew them all by name. Running a cantina was easy enough, if the liquor was cheap people would come. That was not to say it didn’t come without its own challenges; there was occasional fight in the corner, or a blaster being whipped out during a business negotiation. It was rare, but nothing either of them couldn’t handle.

He had been wiping down the countertop when he heard Farlan bring up another keg from the cellar, it thudded loudly as it moved up each step. 

“Why would we need a town bell ringer when we have you bringing up the kegs every morning,” Levi chided when Farlan finally appeared in the doorway with the barrel. 

“Well someones gotta do it,” He groaned in reply as he brought it behind the counter, ducking underneath to set it up for the tap. 

“Were good in the front, I am going to head to the back.” Levi stood, dropping his rag back into his small soap bucket.

 “Yell if you need.”

The back storage room also functioned as a small office, where he checked the books and did other types of managerial work. It was fairly simple, the place made enough to keep them fed and the doors open, but not much more than that. He worked at a small table in the corner until it was time to open, hidden behind stacked crates of ale. He flipped through the credits to bring to the drawer and tallied the expenses for about an hour, all the while he thought about Boc and his warning. They were too causal about it, and that bothered him. its bothered him all morning, in fact. They were getting lazy, beginning to care less about the restrictions. The less the cared about Imperials checking after them, the higher risk of them getting caught. 

He tossed down the stacks of credits on to his desk, he sat back in his chair. He would need to do more than just around and ignore this. There was tinkering somewhere behind him, banging coming from the front. Making his way back to the floor, Levi leans against the counter where Farlan is still tinkering with the tap. 

“After we open, I need you to watch the front.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Farlan huffed at him dismissively, still focused on his task. He hated to be stuck behind the counter for long periods of time, but luckily he wasn’t up for many arguments today. 

“I’m gonna go see Zena,” Levi remarked. 

Farlan stopped tinkering and looked up at him, squinting. “You think its that bad?” 

“We shouldn’t ignore a possible threat.” 

“The inspections really bothering you that much?” Farlan asked again, sliding out from underneath the counter. 

“Its a safety issue. Not just for the pilots, but for all of us. If its not the inspections, its the blockade, and if its not the blockade, its the inquisitors. Dont get lazy on me now, pay attention.” 

Levis jaw was tight, he grinded his teeth where he leaned against the counter. 

Farlan scoffed, then stood. “Just go. I’ll open up.” He said flatly, moving away to open the front door. 

“Ill be back in an hour.”  

Just before he was out of earshot, he could hear Farlan scoff to himself in the next room. 

“Lazy.” 

—

He always felt childish when he knocked on a blaster door, especially the special knock that Zena forced him to do. With the back of his hand he tapped on the door in the rhythm he learned, and stood on the stoop as waited for her to open up. 

Eventually the door opened, and he invited himself inside. 

“Don’t see much of you during the daytime,” she said as a way of greeting, blaster door sliding closed behind him. 

She was in her usual work gear, welders helmet pushed above her head. Zena was a tall human woman, with a dark complexion and long braided hair. Most found her to be something to look at, though he never really bothered with that sort of thing. She was known in Roba for being one of the best mechanics in town, and that way she knew almost everyone. He respected the work that she did, and tried not to touch anything in her space. It was filled with all sorts of junk parts and smelled of old grease. She made her way back to her workstation and sat, continuing to soder what looked to be a piece of a speeder engine. 

“There must be something wrong if you’re here, so go ahead and tell me.” 

He appreciated her brevity, there was rarely small talk with her. She did her best at keeping the members of the path together, There was no use in wasting time, so he relayed to her his conversation with Boc from the night before. 

After he finished, she sat back and looked at him. 

“So you think this is going to be a problem.”

“We have to be ready for anything,” Levi replied, echoing last nights conversation with Farlan. 

“Look, Levi,” She started as she pulled her helmet off and sat it beside her. 

“You’re definitely right, this is something of concern. Things aren’t getting easier, restrictions aren’t getting lighter. But what is it that we can do?” 

“Are we just going to sit around in wait until they come?” 

“There is nothing that we could do to prevent them coming or not. We have little to go off of here, I barely get comms as it is. Not to mention that we still have jobs to do, path or not. If we need to lie low, were just going to need to take Boc’s word for it. We can have a meeting about it later this week and discuss it as a group.”  

“Zena-“ Levi started in a huff, then cut himself off. This seemed to be a trend, everyone not being concerned. Was he just being overly paranoid? It was frustrating to hear, but he would be alone in this endeavor if he were going to try do something. There was little they could do for the time being. She was unfortunately right, they had to speak about it as a group, and he could not do anything sooner than that. It did little to soothe him. 

“Fine.” He acquiesced. “Do you want to meet here or at the bar?”

“Here is fine, I can spare the room. Bring less attention to ourselves at the cantina I suppose. You got lots of sentries hanging out there these days.” 

He couldn’t deny that. They were a problem in and of itself, and he didn’t want to think about them unless he had to. Zena looked at him harder now, inspecting him. 

“How did last night go?” Her tone shifted. This was her trying to get the truth out of him, though there really wasn’t anything to hide. 

“It was fine, there weren’t any problems. Boc was a bigger problem than the kids were, if we’re being honest.” 

“Well at least thats nice to hear.” She attempted a smile, though it looked unfamiliar on her face. 

He was not sure what to say to that, so he continued to look on at her. Zena looked like she had something to ask him, though she wouldn’t come out and just say it. He could tell by the look on her face that something was bothering her. Her eyes looked sunken, she probably sleeps the same as him. 

“Is there something else?” 

Zena sighed, leaning her elbow on her work table. Her hands were filthy, made dark by grease, but she leaned her face on them anyway. 

“There are just a lot of moving parts, you understand. Hearing inquisitors are on the prowl doesn’t help me sleep better at night, especially since the last few we had on the line were just kids.”

He nodded at her, though he had little to offer her in response. There was nothing else more to say, for he felt the same. 

“Yeah, me neither.” 

Zena looked at him again, that twisted expression still painted on her face. There was something that she was not telling him, but it was not worth prying. 

 “Well, I appreciate you bringing this information to me as fast as you did.” She dropped her arm from its place on the table and moved to stand. He headed in the direction of the door. 

“Just let me know when you want us to drop by,” Levi said, ready to leave. 

“Will do. We will talk sometime later this week, surely.” 

He casted her a nod in thanks, and let himself out. 

—

It was mid-afternoon a few days later when it finally happened. 

Farlan came barreling in through the main door, practically throwing himself into the cantina. It had been a slow morning, just a few patrons sitting scattered throughout the bar. All heads turned as  he made his way inside and watched him folded over and panting in the doorway. 

Levi rolled his eyes at him, turning back to the dishes he was wiping with a rag. Although it was not particularly busy, there were still people around. Farlan often had a flair for the dramatic. This was not the first time he has run in like this. Levi watched out of the corner of his eye as Farlan made his way behind the bar, coming to stand next to Levi. He was still trying to collect himself, his breaths coming quick and uneven. Wandering eyes followed him, he could feel them. 

“You’re late,” Levi chided casually, placing the dry glass on the counter in front of him. 

“Whatever this is is going to have to wait.” He picked up another wet glass. 

“There’s a bulletin,” he whispered in Levi’s ear. “He was right, they’re looking for them.” 

“We’ll talk about this later,” Levi replied cooly. There was little they could do now except not bring attention to themselves. 

“But Levi-“

He placed the dry glass on the counter with a heavy thud.  

“Farlan, no.”

Dropping the rag into a dry bucket under the counter, he heads towards the back of the shop, knowing he would follow. Once past the doorway of the storage room he turns to face him, crossing his arms. 

“Dont start doing this here, you know better to do this during work hours.” 

“Levi I dont think you understand,” Farlan replied in a whisper. 

“There are bulletens all over the main square, their faces are plastered all over them. You know its a matter of time before they come looking for them here.”

“Farlan,” he repeated. “They’re already gone. Its like you said, there is little for us to do.”

“What if people saw them Levi, what if-“ he paused, still trying to catch his breath. 

 “What if they reported something.”

“Now you’re the one just being paranoid.” Levi huffed. 

Farlan moved close enough to touch. He looked down at Levi, his eyes wide with panic. He moved like he wanted to grab him by the front of his shirt, but something held him back. Instead, he tightened his jaw and spoke between gritted teeth.

“No, you’re not taking me seriously.” 

“Farlan,” He repeated slowly in an attempt to keep his voice level. 

“Right now, you are causing more problems by panicking than helping the cause. Pull yourself together and we will deal with it with everyone later.” 

Levi’s words hung in the air for a moment as they held each others gaze. Finally, Farlan moved away to gave him room to pass. 

“Just take a minute and pull it together. I’ll cover the floor.” 

His concern was not misplaced, although this time there was really nothing they could do until they met with the rest of the group. Zena had yet to make that call. They were already off-world, so maker knows where they were now. Levi was not privy to that sort of information. They had crossed his mind a few times in the days since, mostly when he laid in bed at night, though the speculation did little to help anything. There were eyes everywhere now, even speculation could be detrimental to all that they’ve done. Farlan would just have to deal until they closed, they would talk then.  

Levi stepped back on to the floor, only to find the cantina completely deserted. 

His footsteps echoed as he slowly stepped out into the main room. Half finished drinks sat abandoned on the countertops, credits tossed haphazardly beside them. They couldn’t have all have just stood up and left at once. Figures passed by the front window too fast to be casual, all headed in the same direction. The square. 

Levi looked over his shoulder to Farlan frozen in the doorway. Shadows passed over his face as more people moved past the front window. They locked eyes, the whites of Farlans clear even from a distance. They were filled with panic. A silent understanding passed between them. 

They were out of time. 

—

Everything around him seemed to serve as a unwanted reminder of the past. Even smells were held hostage by his memory, it was like they taunted him in moments that he could have never anticipated. Blaster rifles always had this stench to them, especially if there were enough of them around. It smelled of melted plastic, like burnt pieces of hair. It smelled also of cheap metal, like the rest of the Empire. 

 It lingered in the thick smoke after a battle, so much so it was often disorienting. It permeated into everything, from the inside of his nose to the clothes on his back. It reeked of violence, the air becoming poisoned by a metal-tinged death. 

 That smell lingered even now in the small alleyway of this windy outer rim planet. There was no battle to be had, not yet. There were enough stormtroopers to start one however, and Levi could tell it from that same smell. Bodies meandered through the crowd haphazardly, shoving shoulders and muttering to one another. Necks craned higher and then lower to be the first to spot the commotion, to see what there was to see. Levi shoved his way through the crowd, with Farlan trailing close behind. 

The smell set him off the moment they stepped into the street, even still the closer to they got to the city center. It was a small gathering place, mostly comprised a set of tall brick buildings that faced one another. It was not much of anything in terms of a setting for city events, though it was the center of the town. Levi moved around  in an attempt to see better, but tall shoulders blocked his view. He could just barely spot the holos of two children projected across a screen atop the main building, though they looked years younger than those he saw the other night. 

There were too many people here, there were a lot of blasters on the ground. 

Stormtroopers lined the square in a tight formation, making room in front of the steps that led up just underneath the projection of the holos. More of them spilled down the steps and into the yard, cheap plastic filling every possible gap. They were all armed, ready to train the weapons on civilians.   

There were too many of them around for this to be anything normal. 

They were waiting for something to happen, likely someone to come and address the crowd. The square the troopers defended stood empty, dust rolling in a breeze across the yard. This was not a normal adress from imperial sentries or bureaucrats, that much was clear. Levi tightened his jaw as he looked for a way out of the crowd. There are too many people here, he thought to himself. He needed a way out. They needed a vantage point to see the entire crowd, a spot they could defend.  

He signaled for Farlan to follow, moving out of the crowd to try find a place to climb. As he pushed through the crowd, he looked for anyone he recognized. Bar patrons, anyone from the path, even Zena. Every face was a mystery to him as he pushed them aside. Where were they? They all started to blur together, the faces of human and non-human as he worked his way through. Where could they be, at a moment like this? They had safety in their number, a small power in all this chaos. They were nowhere in sight, they could have anticipated this moment. He had warned them, and they were not fast enough to come to an agreement. Likely they were in this crowd somewhere, standing alongside other civilians. They could be there, and Levi had not seen them. Shoulders shoved him as he passed, groans of inconvenienced people trying to move forward. They also could be in hiding, saving themselves from what was to come.

Spotting a place down a nearby alley, he hauled down a rusted ladder. It would be easier to see the square this way, easier to get out if they needed to. If it was just him and Farlan, that was fine. The rooftop was clear of the line of sight of patrol, so they ducked across to the edge of the building that looked over the square. There was no point in trying to reassure himself, or Farlan for that matter. All they could do was defend themselves if it was necessary, and stay out of the line of fire. 

Before they were able to make it to the ledge, a sole voice began to address the crowd. 

“People of Roga,” A voice boomed from the center of the square. It was deep, full of confidence. It carried over the crowd like a sudden rainstorm, the square quickly fell silent. 

He didn’t need to look over the ledge to know the sound of that voice. It was lodged somewhere deep in his memory, stuck somewhere deep in the back of his skull. It had been slipping away for years now, its depth and cadence one he never thought he would hear again. It brought him out of himself for a moment. It struck him like a blow to the back of the head, his feet suddenly rooted where he was crouched on the dusty rooftop. 

“It has come to our attention of the that these missing persons were last spotted in this sector of the Outer Rrim. The individuals you see behind you are defectors. They are wanted enemies of the Empire.” 

“Levi!” Farlan barked. “Get down before someone sees you, come on!” He reached over and tugged on his shirt sleeve. 

“Get down!” 

Levi dropped to his knees, folding himself against the top of the rooftop. He didn’t want to look over the edge, he didn’t want to see. He could hear words coming from below, spoken with the same voice of authority, though he couldn’t make out what they said over the pounding in his ears. He fixed his gaze on a corner of the roof, unable to move. 

“Levi?” Farlan tried again. “What is it?” 

He doesn’t answer, but it does pull him out of himself for a moment. Slowly, he pulled himself to grip the edge of the ledge. He could feel Farlan’s eyes on him as he tried to steady his breathing, and dared himself to look. 

A dark form stood in the center of the square that seemed to suck the light from all that was around them. Black robes skirted the ground as they paced in a circle, dust trailing behind heavy footsteps. Dressed not like a sentry, but like an Inquisitor. All the eyes in the square seemed to follow them as they moved, heads turning so as to not loose sight of them. Levi could not see their face from above, but it made his stomach twist all the same. All the light in the space seemed to attract to the long sheet of blonde hair that flirted around in the wind, catching around their cloak and down their back. It shined where they walked, continuing to demand the attention of the crowd. They wanted that attention, Levi realized. They wanted to be seen from all sides, to make civilians fear their words. 

Could this even be him? 

Levi could not get a good look at his face to be sure, even when he turned around. There was no way that was him, it surely must have been the voice that was similar, and was enough to send him back in his own mind. There was no way he was still alive. 

“Levi you’re freaking me out,” Farlan tried again to gain his attention. 

“Give me a second,” He hissed. 

He tried to will his focus back on the speech below. 

“-Now there is no reason to fear, if you have nothing to hide. We are looking for these criminals who are a threat to the safety of the galaxy. We simply ask for information on the whereabouts of these force users, then you may return to your business.” 

The lines were well practiced, they spoke with an authoritative calm. It frightened Levi even more to hear them speak about those kids with such a rehearsed banality. At the very least, if they were here, that means they hadn’t been caught yet. Levi watched them pace around the square below. He wished he could see their face and be able to confirm his fears. He gripped the ledge tighter, his palms sweaty. 

There was a murmur as people in the crowd turned to each other, searching for answers. It was more than likely that none of the these people had even met a force user before, let alone a Jedi, When they had existed. To many here, the force was a simply a myth to tell children. There was never talk of them except to name their extinction, which was mostly spoken about only in theory. The path kept them well hidden, or tried to anyway. Until now. If they were good at their job, there should be nobody with enough information to supply to them upfront. Nobody with real information anyway. 

 Somewhere deep in the gathered crowd there is a rippling of people, some shouting. Levi watched as they tried to make room, bodies pushing in an attempt to make room. There was shouting, though he was too far to make out any words. Some type of skirmish, the voices seem to get more violent. 

“We will be conducting interviews and sanctioned searches of the area for information,” The Inquisitor continues over the scuffling. “We encourage those with useful information on this matter to bring it forward at once.” 

The rippling moved closer to the center of the square. Troopers move in to break up the situation, a sudden flash of tangled bodies and shiny white plastic. The voice stopped and stood to watch the shuffling happen, arms folding behind their back. More shouting, more people moving to get around them. Suddenly, two figures emerge from the crowd and are tossed into the dirt. 

“What is going on?” Farlan murmured beside him. 

The two bodies in the dust, two human men, continued to fight. One crawled over to the other, pinning the other man to the dirt as he began to throw punches. The Inquisitor did nothing but watch, only moving a hand to wave troopers away. The man on the ground did little to fight back, face becoming beaten and bloody. A loud crack. He must have broken his nose. Levi could hear it from there. More blood. The other man continued to lay into him, and goes to throw another punch. Midway to his face does his hand go still, frozen in midair. In a flash he was flung like a limp doll to the other side of the square, falling with a heavy thud. 

The square fell silent again, and all eyes fall to the Inquisitor. They walk over to the man slowly, boots loud on the dirt. The wind kicked up again, flickering the bottoms of their dark robes. 

“Well?” They question simply, though the single word was enough for bumps to rise down Levi’s arms. 

The man that was flung coughed loudly and attempted to rise to one arm. There was blood all over his hands, stained onto his shirt. The other man still laid motionless, bleeding into the dirt. Finally, he stops coughing and speaks.

“He is one of ‘em!” He exclaimed. 

 “Cen over there-“ he raised a bloodied hand to point at the other man. “He’s is one of those force user bastards!” 

Levi didn’t recognize either of them, but there were a number of people in this town that he did not know. He doesn’t know the other man Cen, but he is pretty certain he would know if he was a force sensitive. 

“I-I seen it with my own two eyes!” He continued, stumbling over his words. 

“Hes one of ‘em, I swear it!”  

The Inquisitor remained silent for a moment longer, enough to make the man start to squirm.

“Do you have any evidence of this to prove your claim?” His voice was cold and calculating, though it almost sounded like he was a touch bored. 

“Y-yyes!” The man exclaimed as he struggles to stand. 

“This man comes into my shop, and he moves things, and he tries to steal from me. Steal from my business! He has cost me a lot of money, you see. He makes things disappear, tries to trick me into believing that he didn’t take it. t-those mind tricks, yeah?”

Blonde hair fell down their back as they turned away to look down at the other man, Cen. The other man suddenly stopped blabbering, and silence fell over the square. 

“Take him.”

Troopers emerged from the line to haul up Cens lifeless body, his head hung limply over his chest as he was hauled up the steps and into the dark doors of the city center. Once inside, the Inquisitor turned to face the other man who visibly shrunk in his presence. They seemed to stretch far above the other man, as if darkness pulled from every source. They loomed like a shadow, heavy over this small human male. Levi could not see their face, but their strength could be felt from where he watched over them. Their words dripped with poison as they spoke down to him. 

“Please allow us pleasure as to some more concrete evidence of Cen’s treachery.” They were toying with him now. Levi knew it was only a matter of time. 

“I told you,” The man started weakly, still cowering. “Hhh-he comes into my shop, mm-moves things around.” 

“Mmm,” The Inquisitor rumbled at him, feigning amusement. Maybe they are amused by this, Levi thinks to himself. 

“Anything else?” They leaned over slightly in the direction of the man. 

“Yy-you have to believe me!” He shouted, voice wavering with panic. 

“Do you have any valuable information on the whereabouts of those two?” The Inquisitor asked again, and nodded in the direction of the holos.

“I’ve never seen those children in my life!” He tried again, taking a few steps back. The Inquisitor moved closer. 

“Let me make one thing very clear,” They started, voice low and gravely. They turn to look up at the crowd, keying them into their words. It was a warning. 

“Force sensitives can be felt by other force sensitives. It is our way of knowing the truth of them, it is our best way of sorting them out. Let this be a lesson to you, and to those who would like to sell out their fellow man. Let this be a lesson to you as to the consequences for lying.” 

There was a bold flash of red, the man fell to his knees. They pulled the lightsaber from his chest, and it glowed by their side. Gasps let out in the crowd around them as the man drops to the ground face first and lies still. 

“For those of you who should think that they can get away with behavior like this,” They continued, voice back to its previous authoritative tone. The saber hung brightly at their side, and it hummed as it scraped the dirt. They turn in a circle to face the crowd.  

“Let this serve to you as a reminder. We have no toleration for those bringing forth false information.” 

The lightsaber vibrated in the air, a clear threat to those who would bring trouble to the situation. The crowd continued to murmur. Many shifted uncomfortably. The presence of an Inquisitor was a threat of its own, let alone one striking down townspeople with a lightsaber. 

“Leads on information to the whereabouts of force users will be rewarded,” They continued, seeming to pick back up before the interruption. They move to nudge the edge of their boot into the torso of the dead man to emphasize their point. 

“False leads will not.” 

Sheathing the blade, they made a final turn about the crowd before disappearing inside the city center. For a moment the crowd remained frozen in place, staring out at the body of the man now laid abandoned in the dirt. 

Troopers work to defuse the crowd, monotone calls for order and for civilians to return to their homes. Slowly people started to break off, though too hesitant to approach the discarded body. He watched the crowd dissipate for a long moment, trying to stomach all that he just witnessed. He had been here to stay out of sight, to blend in with normal people. It was not that way for long, but he tried nonetheless. They were alone, the rest of the path seemingly dissolved, and there was an Inquisitor roaming the streets. That voice rang in his ears again, and it made his stomach twist with anxiety. He had to be sure that it wasn’t him. He had to know. 

Farlan grabbed at his shoulder, trying to get his attention. He turned to him, looking on at those same wide eyes, face drained of its color. 

“What was that?” He asked quietly, voice laced with uncertainty. 

There is a long moment before Levi responded. 

“I need to go.”

“What?” 

 It was going to be too difficult to explain, too dangerous. There is no way he could tell him the truth of the matter, he simply is just going to have to understand. 

“Do you trust me?” Less of a question but more of a statement. Farlan gripped his shoulder tighter, holding on to him like a lifeline. His eyes flickered over Levi’s face for a moment before he tried to speak. 

“Yes of course I do, why would you ask me that?”

“I just need you to trust me on this. That-“ Levi pointed to the man down in the yard. “is going to be a huge problem. 

He pointed again to the doors of the city center. “That Inquisitor is going to be an even bigger problem than we could have anticipated, something needs to be done about this. Now.” 

Farlan dropped his hand from his shoulder, and looked over Levi’s face again. “But what about the rest of the group? We can just-“

Levi cut him off. “They’re not here. Look around you, it’s just us. It is too late for the members to help us. If something isn’t done about that now, then things are going to get worse.” 

Farlan looked back at him, his expression blank. Levi broke his gaze and started to climb back off of the ledge and toward the ladder. 

“What does that even mean?” He called from across the rooftop, still perched at its ledge. 

Levi looked up from the top of the ladder. He ran over what he wanted to say to him. Please, just trust me on this okay? There is a lot you dont know. Trust that you know very little, and its best that we kept it this way. Keep out of trouble. I don’t know if I will see you again. 

He decided on, “Just stay out of sight for now. Lie low until this blows over.” There was nothing more he could say to give him any more information. It was not worth the risk on his life. 

Farlan nodded back at him. “Fine. Be smart about it.”

—

He made his way back to the cantina quickly, moving in crowds so as to not be noticed. Luckily the place was still empty when he got there, no one had come back to finish their drink. There was no point in closing the shop now, it was only going to be a waste of time. He needed to go, and he needed to go now. 

Standing in the threshold and into their shared space, Levi tried to decide if this is what he wanted to do. His skin felt numb but his mind was ablaze, it moved too quickly for him to keep up. In a trance, he pushed aside the tall dresser that him and Farlan shared to reach the small pocket of the flooring beneath it. There was a wooden latch on the buckled floor, and inside was the small dressing bag. There were a few times that he never thought that he would ever think to bring this box out again. 

There was always another option, he thought. He could move the dresser back, open the cantina back up. Stay quiet and return to work. Leave the old life he lead behind, and let the past finally die. He could go back into hiding, lie low like Boc had warned him. He didn’t have to fight anymore. 

He shook his head, dismissing the train of thought. No, he had to do this. He had to be the one to do it. He took a deep breath, and opened the small wooden box. 

Inside nestled two silver lightsaber blades, a lasting reminder of a different world. They felt like a different lifetime from now, like it was someone else who wielded these blades. Now was not the time to be thinking about this. Pulling them out from the box, he held them in either hand. It had been years since he put them in their resting place under the floor, but they still felt so familiar. They were of simple design, barely any extra fixings or flared designs. They felt more meaningful that way, more like a tool. He was ashamed to admit to himself that they felt good to be in his hands again, like a part of himself had returned. He clipped the blades to his belt, the weight of them still familiar on his hips.

He slipped the box under the floorboards and the furniture in place. Replacing the small mirror back on to the top of the dresser he looked back at himself. He was not the same man who swung those blades last. The lines on his face were etched deeper now, the scar across his eye a living reminder as to why they had been hidden all this time. It didn’t matter now, he was going to have to wield them again. He was going to have to become that person again. I could wear it like a cloak, he thought distantly. It would be for now, but I would not always have to wear this skin. He could go back, after. Live the quiet life he wanted. He had to do this first. 

He made his way back towards the city center building through back alleys and small streets. First he would check to see if they were still at the square before he would check the transport center. If they came in on an Imperial ship, they're going to be on official orders. A ship would be parked there, and Levi would find his way on it. If he couldn’t find them at the center first, he would make for the ship. 

That was a decent plan. Where it happened didn’t matter. It didn’t matter if that voice reminded Levi of someone or not, they were a threat to everything that the path had built, to everything he had left. He would do this, for that he was certain. He would kill the Inquisitor himself. 

Coming closer to the square, Levi could hear some distant shouting. Thought the troopers were supposed to have cleared everything up by now. He flattened himself against the next corner, watching the commotion. People were filing back in the direction of the city center. The group was smaller, but more seemed to hear commotion and were beginning to turn back. 

Fuck. Where was Farlan? 

He weaseled his way back into the growing crowd. There is more unrest this time, everyone seemed more agitated. It was hard to see over the shoulders of people, so he attempted to cut around them. 

Fucking imbeciles. Get out of the fucking way.  

There were too many people craning their necks to spot the source of the commotion, he was still too far away to hear the commotion. He cut through an alley he could start to get closer to the center. He could spot the blue lights of those kids holos up ahead. He pushed and shoved people in his path, keeping an eye out for Farlan. Eventually he wormed his way to the edges of the square, close enough to see around the blockade of stormtroopers. He looked over in the direction of the building they were atop of earlier. It was simply too far now to try to get over there before they could get away. 

The blockade that had formed around them still blocked any half decent view of the square itself, and the muttering around him drowned out whatever was going on. He pushed to his right to break in somewhere to be able to see.  As he was pushing around an elderly man, he heard another voice that stopped him in his tracks. 

“No, I believe there has been a misunderstanding-“ 

Levi turned around in the direction of the sound. He could still barely see around the blockade around him, but he recognized the voice. It was another voice, not the Inquisitor. The voice was coming from the other side of the wall of troopers, and it tremor in fear. Levi pushed past someone else, and he was finally able to get a view through the edges of the blockade. 

There was Farlan inside the square, pinned to the ground with the edge of a lightsaber pointed at his neck. 

“We could at least tt-talk this through,” He continued, his voice shaking. 

What the fuck, Levi breathed to himself. He could just barely make him out through the gaps but it was surely his voice, and that could only mean one thing. Fuck. There was no thinking about this, there simply wasn’t enough time. Looking between the shoulders of the locked troopers, he had to make a choice. 

Everyone is going to see. Everyone is going to know. There is no time to think about this, fuck. His blood pounded in his ears, the sabers weighed heavy on his hips. There was one purpose he was here for, there was only one more thing he could do. He had to know. 

Kicking the back of the knee of the closest trooper, he pushed into the square and lunged between them. Dozens of blasters trained on the three of them from all around the square. He moved to push Farlan behind him, landing in a crouch before the tip of the lightsaber. He peered up at the face of the inquisitor who held the blade extended out toward them. It twisted his gut, for he once knew that face better than his own. 

Erwin. 

A cruel smile crept across his face, crinkling the corners of bright yellow eyes. They seemed to make his entire face glow, the rest of his features even more severe from the low angle. Only Sith had those eyes. 

They were different in their color and the dark power they held now, but his face was the same. It held distant memories in his edges and sharp angles. The curve of his nose, sharpness of his chin. Time had distorted them into something darker, more sinister. He should be dead. 

The air was thick. The lightsaber between them crackled like a menacing flame. 

“Farlan,” He spoke calmly, eyes still locked with Erwins. His hand was already on his belt under his cloak, ready to strike. He needed to get him out of here, now. 

“You need to back up,” He tried again, hoping his voice would pull Farlan from his trance. 

Erwin held the blade in front of him steadily, the tip of it hovering mere inches from Levi’s face. 

“Oh?” He laughed darkly. He was amused by this.  

“Why would you expect me to do that?” Erwin continued, and lowered his saber just slightly. His smile was deviant, and it chilled Levi’s blood. It was unnatural the way he looked, smiling down at him. His eyes shown brightly, a pool of fire in the middle of the chaos. It like he just had a realization, like a plan was coming together. He knew. Before Levi had time to make a move, he struck. 

A loud crack cut through the square, its sound ear piercing. It reverberated from what felt like was right beside Levi’s ear, then a hard thump as something hit the ground behind him. His heart sunk into his stomach. He didn’t need to look, he didn’t want to. Levi knew the sound of bones cracking when he heard them. 

On instinct, he ignited a blade and struck against Erwin, trying to force him back. White struck against red. It filled his vision, his ears pounding with adrenaline. Everything slowed around him, there was nothing now except for the two of them. Levi pushed with all his strength, but Erwin barely moved an inch. His smile only grew wider, teeth bright in the reflection of the blade.

He pushed back against him, though Erwins strength was considerably stronger than anything Levi has felt. It has been years since he has held a saber, and it was obvious. Erwin pushed against him and twisted, easily disarmed him. The blade skittered across the gravel, just out of reach. Before he could reach for the other saber on his hip, there was a ghostly hand about his throat and squeezed. His hands were also frozen, pinned to his sides. Levi struggled against his grip, spitting and growling as Erwin stepped closer. His smile was impossibly wide now, and wild eyes searched his face inquisitively. Erwin lifted him off the ground slightly, though he still tried still trying to squirm away. Levi choked and squirmed all that he could, though it was no use. His power oozed out from every pore, and it seemed to wash over them both. 

I will do it, Levi thought. Even if it kills me. His vision was becoming black on the edges, and he continued to struggle for air. Erwin looked down at him with great interest, as if Levi were a prized trophy. He opened his mouth to speak, the words simultaneously playful and mocking. 

“It looks like I’ve found what I’ve been looking for.”