Korriban, a desert planet currently under Imperial forces.
The colorful fabrics hanging over the marketplace made passing through the market less humid. "Stay close, Tom. The markets are filled with smugglers." Zara says. "I caught one stealing a droid once," Tom says, looking around the market.
They approach a stand selling food where Zara hands the vendor two coins. The vendor gives them a single pear fruit. "Two coins won't get you much these days," The vendor explains. Zara catches sight of stormtroopers patrolling around the market.
"Two coins is all I have," Zara says. "I wish I could help, but even if I did, you know those stormtroopers over there would detain me for giving you more. Prices have been rising, but since you two are on your own, I will give you this," The vendor passes her another fruit wrapped in a linen cloth.
As Zara is about to get it, a stormtrooper grabs it from her hand. "What's this? You are not giving more than you are allowed are you?" The stormtrooper asks.
"This one fell on the ground and I couldn't sell it to my customers. I was going to give it to these beggars but I can see that I was mistaken," The vendor says in a rehearsed tone. "As you can see here, my customers over here are on their way now," The vendor warns Zara with a nod to scurry along. "Tom and I will be on our way, then," Zara withdraws.
As Zara and Tom rush down the market, a group of revolters emerge from the shadows, shooting their blasters at stormtroopers. As the stormtroopers start firing back, Zara and Tom race further down. "Let's go, quickly," she says as Tom races ahead.
The revolutionary factions had been retaliating against stormtroopers for years now, but the Empire didn't see their small forces on Korriban as a threat.
The Empire had sent one of their high-ranking commanders, Commander Dodonna, to coordinate against the attacks. "Put this out before Commander Vader gets here," Commander Dodonna orders the stormtroopers.
Meanwhile, as Zara races down the market, she bumps into one of the revolters. As the stormtroopers gather together the revolutionaries, one apprehends her.
"She isn't a revolutionary, unhand her!" Tom says. "You're coming with us on suspicion of being a revolutionary," The stormtrooper says. "Go on without me. I will clear my name as soon as I can," Zara says as the other rebels are apprehended.
"You can't do that, you're not a revolutionary! They're going to send you to a rebel jail." Tom says. "Do as I say, Tom. I'll be right back—" "That's what father said, and he never returned," he shakes his head. "I promise I will return once I have cleared my name," Zara says. "What is taking so long, trooper?" Commander Dodonna chimes in.
"We have apprehended the revolutionaries but this one is free to go," The stormtrooper then releases Zara who is just as shocked. "And why is that?" Dodonna's wrinkled face frowns.
"I was mistaken, commander. I know revolutionaries when I see them, and I mistook this youth for one," The stormtrooper says.
At that, Dodonna grabs his blaster and impatiently shoots down the stormtrooper. Zara and Tom freeze, not knowing if they're next. "You stormtroopers are under my command. What I say goes. Apprehend all of the revolutionaries, even if they are children," Commander Dodonna commands the other stormtroopers.
"Was he not just following orders?" Tom asks, but seemingly to himself as his widened eyes stay transfixed on the fallen trooper on the sand. "A trooper who cannot follow orders is malfunctioned. He had no use to the Empire," Dodonna says.
"It is not up to a trooper to decide whether or not you two are revolutionaries, which you in fact are,"
"Come on, Tom. We have to go," Zara shakes his shoulder, but he only looks up at her with chilling wide grey eyes.
"What is the matter?" she asks. "He's dead, Zara. His own commander executed him. He followed orders but look where it got him. Look, Zara," he points to the stormtrooper's corpse. "What are you talking about? You are acting strange. We need to escape while we still can," Zara grabs his arm to pull him away.
As they turn to leave, the stormtroopers aim their blasters at them.
"You are not going anywhere. The two of you were in the mob with the revolutionaries, and whosoever associates with rebels will eventually become a threat to the Empire. You will be questioned later on for any rebel connections," Commander Dodonna says.
Marketgoers look in horror at the lifeless stormtrooper lying on the ground, some cover their mouths in disgust while others hurry away. "The market is already filthy, and this stormtrooper is only making its stench worse, carry him away," Dodonna covers his mouth with a handkerchief.
Tom watches as the stormtrooper is carried away.
Zara and Tom are then taken outside the market onto the sands of Korriban.
Twisting the stormtrooper's arm, Tom disarms them and grabs the trooper's blaster, aiming it straight at Dodonna.
"Commander, look out!" A stormtrooper says. As Tom is about to fire, Dodonna pulls out a blaster and fires it at him, hitting him. Tom falls onto the sand, dropping the blaster. "Tom!" Zara runs over to him.
"What were you thinking? Get up!" She shakes him on his side. Tom's eyes slowly close, he doesn't say anything to her. "You're okay, just hold on," She says before turning to the stormtroopers. "Help him! He is going to die," She says, but they just stand there aiming their blasters at her.
"That child is to die. You will be lucky to spend the rest of your days in a rebel cell," Dodonna sneers.
"How can the Empire bother us lowly citizens when we do nothing but keep our heads down and stay out of the way? This isn't fair!" Zara stands, grabbing the blaster and walking towards Dodonna.
"Stay back. Stay back, I say!" Dodonna takes a step back. As she aims the blaster at him, she suddenly faints onto the sand. Dodonna feels an ominous presence behind him, looking behind him to see someone approaching with reinforcements accompanying them. It is the Imperial commander in chief, Darth Vader.
"Commander! As you can see, everything is under control here." Dodonna straightens up. "Your reinforcements alerted me of a dire situation," Vader says.
"Yes, there was a little bit of uproar, but it was squashed. No need to send them. I am fully capable of my duty to put an end to these revolutionaries–" Dodonna says but is interrupted as Darth Vader steps past him.
"I sense something, it appears to be traces of the dark side of the Force," Darth Vader says, walking over to where Zara and Tom lay. "Who are these children, are they revolutionaries?" he asks. "You are correct, my lord. One of them I had to take down," Dodonna says uninterestedly.
"The remaining prisoner, take the child to the ship. She may be of use to us yet, commander. I trust that you understand, "Darth Vader says. "Of course, my lord." Commander Dodonna replies, commanding the stormtroopers to lift her off the sand. The troopers drag an unconscious Zara away, her black hair covered in sand.
Awakening, she sees stormtroopers sitting across from her, having now been transported on an Imperial crater. "Where am I? Where's Tom?" She asks. "We are halfway to the shipping port where we will board an Imperial cruiser," A stormtrooper sitting across from her says. She looks at the empty seat next to her, not seeing Tom.
"Where is my brother?" She demands. "Prisoners don't get to ask questions, so keep quiet," Another trooper says. As the crater stops at a gate to get inspected, Zara is ordered to get out until the examination is over.
Stepping out into the cold night air of the desert, she lands on the ground where the troopers point their blasters at her. She then kicks one of the troopers and makes a run for it as blasters fire at her. She ducks them, but one grazes her arm.
She holds her arm in pain as her skin boils, but keeps running. She runs for a mile before catching her breath. Turning her arm to inspect it, her tan skin has a red line on it, with a faint smell of burned flesh in the air. She yells in agony, gripping her arm.
"Tom!" She yells out into the dunes. Before collapsing, she catches a glimpse of the night sky before everything fades black. The next time she awakens, she is in a colorless cell chamber. She stands from the metal bed and looks around the windowless chamber. No longer on Korriban, she is now under Imperial forces.