Free Star Wars: Journey to The Force Awakens: All Creatures Great and Small by Landry Q. Walker Page A

beganrapping his knuckles rhythmically on the table, and the two winged lizards began to dance in place, stepping forward and back, whirling, prancing—each in perfect time with the other.
    The children gasped and cheered while the adults smiled. Unfortunately, it was then that the Storyteller’s traveling creature show was brought to an abrupt end.
    “Is that a ship?” asked one of the children,staring up into the bright sky of Jakku.

T HE SHIP was a Zygerrian cruiser operated by a band of slavers well-known for attacking remote outposts on less-traveled worlds and kidnapping the citizens they found, commonly pressing their prisoners into work camps or selling them off to the highest bidders.
    The ship came in quick, and there was no time for the people of Reestkii to muster any defenses—particularly as they had no defensesto speak of. Such things had never seemed necessary there, as there were no animal predators in the region and the local pirates and criminals were more likely to use their resources raiding holdings that actually had goods worth stealing.
    The slavers descended. The people screamed and panicked and ran while Bobbajo calmly and quietly emptied his cages, releasing his many pets into the streets.The gwerps hopped away into the shadows of the buildings; the pishnes waddled under the tables, huddling together as they often did; while the lonlan bounced around casually, its body inflating and deflating over and over in an excited fashion.
    J’Rrosch glared and hopped away to find some shade.
    Soon they had all scattered. And just in time, as the long-eared catlike Zygerrians disembarkedfrom the ship, laser whips and rifles ready to punish any resistance as they went about their dark business.

T HERE WAS no resistance to be found. Suitably cowed, the unarmed residents of Reestkii were rounded up and forced into the large town hall building while the slavers pillaged the settlement for any supplies they could steal. There was little of note in the building. It was a functional but unadorned structure—four heavy stone walls with narrow slits for windows. The windows were high aboveground level, impossible for any of the beings locked within to reach and peer out. Green and orange paint decorated the interior, but it was chipped and worn with age. There were tables inside and a handful of chairs. Otherwise, nothing.
    “What will we do?” asked one of the citizens in a panicked voice. He was Thaddeeus Marien, a bulb-headed Kitonak. And though his leather-skinned specieswas well-suited for the desert climate of Jakku, he was nevertheless perspiring.
    Another citizen echoed that sentiment: “Slavers,” said P’nll Vun, an amphibious Nautolan, shaking the thick set of dark tentacles that cascaded from his scalp. “What will happen to us? This can’t…this can’t be possible. The constable…”
    A third voice cut in, this one belonging to Jol Bengim, a Chevin whosemassive elephantine head stretched the length of his entire body. “I know their like. They’ll take us and force us all into labor camps. I saw it before…back when I was on Vinsoth. We’re doomed for sure….”
    All the while the children of the village stared nervously and silently, terrified at the strange intrusion into the peaceful and quiet world into which they had been born.
    “Listen…”interrupted Bobbajo. “There is…yet hope. We are merely detained. Our fates…they are not determined.”
    Jol stamped his heavy hooflike feet back and forth impatiently. “Easy words to say, Storyteller. But words will not save us now! Nothing will save us!”
    One of the children, a tiny hammer-headed Ottegan named Adlee, let out a minute sob. With a silencing glance at the emotional Chevin, Bobbajoturned his kindly face to the needs of the scared children.
    “Children…listen. You will need…to trust in what I say. Help…is coming, and everything will be…fine.”
    The children sniffled and fidgeted.
    “Let me tell you a