Post by lazlototh on Feb 28, 2005 1:22:11 GMT -5
Hi guys! I was bored and I threw this together for a little fun. It's an homage to Zato no Ichi the Blind Swordsman, a totally cool movie series from Japan starring Shintaro Katsu
So without further ado, if you would indulge me...
* * *
The sun set over the mountains, putting the little village into shadow. In the deepening darkness, the stark white armor of patrolling Imperial Stormtroopers almost glowed in the gloom. In the outlying villages of the planet Guerin, the local Imperial governor imposed a sunset curfew. The people of these villages were sympathetic to the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire and on occasion a stormtrooper or two would disappear. Now they patrolled in groups of no less than a full squad, with LAVs and support ships available for air support.
A young lady hurried down the rock path to her home. She looked furtively about her, nervous in the evening shadows. She turned down another path, only moments away from the safety of her home. At that second, she walked into a dozen stormtroopers performing their dusk patrol. Grabbing her, the troops quickly held her fast and searched her for weapons. The squad leader approached her, blaster carbine pointed at her chest.
"Give me your identification," said the squad leader. Fumbling in a pouch, the woman fished for a second and thrust a small card into the trooper's hand. The squad leader put her card into a reader and glanced at it. "Is this right? Melaya Lenn?"
"You can read," remarked the woman.
"What are you doing past curfew?" the trooper asked.
"I was caring for my nephew in the next village over. He's sick. I was only able to come back now." Lenn stared defiantly back at the squad leader.
"According to my reader here, your nephew died a month ago. How do you figure?" The trooper's helmet leaned a bit to the side.
Lenn swallowed. Her eyes darted about, looking at the troops surrounding her. "Well, I guess you got me. Now what?"
The squad leader, reached behind him and grabbed a pair of binders off his utility belt. "You'll need to talk to the local magistrate and explain it to him. How you're caring for your dead nephew..." With a gesture, he ordered the troops holding Lenn to turn her around. He placed the binders tightly on her wrist. "You are under arrest for breaking curfew."
Then the squad leader heard something strange. Quiet laughter. In the shadows of the nearby rocks, he heard someone shuffling towards the group. A couple of the troops shifted their weapons' aim form Lenn to the darkness.
"Heh, heh..." An old bald man appeared. He was wearing rags of an old, brown material. His round face was pale and full of smile lines. Stubble covered his lip and chin and his nose was wide and flat. His eyes were dark, but he acted as if he didn't use them for a long time. He was blind. He carried a cane of gnarled, dark wood. Tapping with the cane, he made his way to the group. "What is it now that it takes twelve grown men to arrest one helpless, pretty girl? She must be dangerous."
"Arrest him," said the squad leader. Two stormtroopers advanced to the old man.
"Now, now, young man. Can't we be reasonable? I'm just a tired old man on his way home. I am of no harm to you men," he smiled. The troops grabbed either arm above the elbow.
The squad leader turned to him, "You’re under arrest too. Just keep your mouth shut and don't try to help your lady friend."
"Now she's not my friend," the old man frowned. "I don't even know her. And I don't think she needs any help anyway. You might though..." With a twist of his body and deft manipulation of his hands, the two troops holding him were thrown away like ragdolls. Before the troops covering him could fire, a blade of green energy flew out and beheaded them. In the ensuing chaos, troops tried to turn to the threat but were cut down before they could even move. The old man thrust out his left hand and the troops holding Lenn were flung back, flew ten meters and landed unconscious. Within eight seconds the squad leader was the only stormtrooper left, the green blade pointing between his eyes. Lenn watched in bewilderment, unable to believe the exchange that just took place.
"You go back to your people. Tell them you are not welcome anymore. Get your troops and leave this place, or you will be destroyed. Try calling for help. You will not find me. But don't worry, I know exactly where you live, heh, heh..." The old man smiled again. "Now go..." The trooper spun in fear and ran away. He forgot he was even armed the whole time and could've shot the old man at any time. He didn't care. The old man extinguished the energy blade.
"Now, if you would be so kind as to let me escort you home, I would be relieved," the man turned to Lenn, still smiling. Stunned, Lenn could only nod. She hadn't noticed the binders fell off during the struggle. Turning back to the path, the walked into the village.
"Oh could you pick up my cane? I seemed to have dropped it..."
So without further ado, if you would indulge me...
* * *
The sun set over the mountains, putting the little village into shadow. In the deepening darkness, the stark white armor of patrolling Imperial Stormtroopers almost glowed in the gloom. In the outlying villages of the planet Guerin, the local Imperial governor imposed a sunset curfew. The people of these villages were sympathetic to the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire and on occasion a stormtrooper or two would disappear. Now they patrolled in groups of no less than a full squad, with LAVs and support ships available for air support.
A young lady hurried down the rock path to her home. She looked furtively about her, nervous in the evening shadows. She turned down another path, only moments away from the safety of her home. At that second, she walked into a dozen stormtroopers performing their dusk patrol. Grabbing her, the troops quickly held her fast and searched her for weapons. The squad leader approached her, blaster carbine pointed at her chest.
"Give me your identification," said the squad leader. Fumbling in a pouch, the woman fished for a second and thrust a small card into the trooper's hand. The squad leader put her card into a reader and glanced at it. "Is this right? Melaya Lenn?"
"You can read," remarked the woman.
"What are you doing past curfew?" the trooper asked.
"I was caring for my nephew in the next village over. He's sick. I was only able to come back now." Lenn stared defiantly back at the squad leader.
"According to my reader here, your nephew died a month ago. How do you figure?" The trooper's helmet leaned a bit to the side.
Lenn swallowed. Her eyes darted about, looking at the troops surrounding her. "Well, I guess you got me. Now what?"
The squad leader, reached behind him and grabbed a pair of binders off his utility belt. "You'll need to talk to the local magistrate and explain it to him. How you're caring for your dead nephew..." With a gesture, he ordered the troops holding Lenn to turn her around. He placed the binders tightly on her wrist. "You are under arrest for breaking curfew."
Then the squad leader heard something strange. Quiet laughter. In the shadows of the nearby rocks, he heard someone shuffling towards the group. A couple of the troops shifted their weapons' aim form Lenn to the darkness.
"Heh, heh..." An old bald man appeared. He was wearing rags of an old, brown material. His round face was pale and full of smile lines. Stubble covered his lip and chin and his nose was wide and flat. His eyes were dark, but he acted as if he didn't use them for a long time. He was blind. He carried a cane of gnarled, dark wood. Tapping with the cane, he made his way to the group. "What is it now that it takes twelve grown men to arrest one helpless, pretty girl? She must be dangerous."
"Arrest him," said the squad leader. Two stormtroopers advanced to the old man.
"Now, now, young man. Can't we be reasonable? I'm just a tired old man on his way home. I am of no harm to you men," he smiled. The troops grabbed either arm above the elbow.
The squad leader turned to him, "You’re under arrest too. Just keep your mouth shut and don't try to help your lady friend."
"Now she's not my friend," the old man frowned. "I don't even know her. And I don't think she needs any help anyway. You might though..." With a twist of his body and deft manipulation of his hands, the two troops holding him were thrown away like ragdolls. Before the troops covering him could fire, a blade of green energy flew out and beheaded them. In the ensuing chaos, troops tried to turn to the threat but were cut down before they could even move. The old man thrust out his left hand and the troops holding Lenn were flung back, flew ten meters and landed unconscious. Within eight seconds the squad leader was the only stormtrooper left, the green blade pointing between his eyes. Lenn watched in bewilderment, unable to believe the exchange that just took place.
"You go back to your people. Tell them you are not welcome anymore. Get your troops and leave this place, or you will be destroyed. Try calling for help. You will not find me. But don't worry, I know exactly where you live, heh, heh..." The old man smiled again. "Now go..." The trooper spun in fear and ran away. He forgot he was even armed the whole time and could've shot the old man at any time. He didn't care. The old man extinguished the energy blade.
"Now, if you would be so kind as to let me escort you home, I would be relieved," the man turned to Lenn, still smiling. Stunned, Lenn could only nod. She hadn't noticed the binders fell off during the struggle. Turning back to the path, the walked into the village.
"Oh could you pick up my cane? I seemed to have dropped it..."