Before Hope: Prologue (Written by Kyra Organa)

Author's note: This is the beginning of the first “Episode” of an adventure circling around a character named Kyra Organa (my penname-sake) after the events shown below. Also, this is my first time sharing my stories outside of family and close friends, so congratulations: you are reading a Mark Swift’s Nexus exclusive! Please tell me what you think (graciously, please) in the comments below. Thanks!

Halfway through the fifteenth year of the Empire, Kyra’s parents—Whinn and Jaelyn Organa—were doing all they could to help the Rebellion. They worked in the ship repair shop in the capital city of Aldera on the core world of Alderaan. Kyra was 16 at the time and was shadowing her father, excited to learn all she could about the inner workings of ships and intergalactic navigation. It was a busy day for it was right after the battle known as ‘Attack on the Phoenix Squadron’ and many ships were damaged. The entire shop was bustling with rebels, rushing this way and that with grisly determination.

There was a knock at the door of the shop, but before her father could answer, it rolled open. A squad of stormtroopers led by a tall stiff officer in an ash-grey uniform stood menacingly prim in the doorway. “Whinn Organa, I regret to inform you and your family that you are under arrest for treason against the Empire,” wheezed the sickly pale officer with a nauseating smile plastered on his thin face.
Whinn didn’t say anything in protest, for the only two words that escaped his lips were, “KYRA, RUN!!!” Jaelyn kissed Kyra, said she loved her, handed her a DL-44 blaster, and then shoved her on a speeder. Meanwhile Whinn had drawn his blaster and began firing. “Listen Kyra,” Kyra’s mother said calmly with her soft voice, looking her straight into the eyes, “Whatever you do, whatever you hear, stay as far away from this house as possible. Never, ever come home.”
Kyra nodded confused, scared, and obedient. The last she ever saw of her mother was of her rushing off to aid Whinn hold off the stormtroopers, so the rebels could escape. Kyra slammed on the accelerator and zipped out of the shop.
She never saw prisoners or the entire fleet escape. No one did. She heard something though. It was the horrid sound of a rifle mowing down dozens of rebels before they could even think of reaching for their blaster, the agonizing screams, and pained shouts. Then worse of all, she heard that psycho of an Imperial Officer chuckle. Then Kyra saw nothing except a cloudy blur of tears which blinded her vision. She just witnessed the Massacre of Aldera.