Snippet #1779009

Ashlynn had woken up to the sound of screaming, and little hands shaking her desperately. It was the first time she had gotten to sleep in days; the fighting was constantly forcing her to relocate, her original sleeping area of choice having been completely destroyed. She had nearly been shot in the crossfire three times, and a piece of debris has nicked her good in the leg. Not being able to afford any kind of bacta, she'd just ripped up a cloth and tied it around the wound. It had finally stopped bleeding after about a day, but she wasn't in great condition. Fear permeated the air of Coruscant now, fear and anger. It had always been there, but as Ashlynn had grown up here, she’d learned to tune it out as white noise in her daily life. But now, she felt it creep into her veins, the pain of millions touched by battle. It gave her a headache. And now, more fear was stabbing into her, drawn close by the little person waking her.

"What?" she asked, shooting up into a sitting position. She was exhausted, but she knew better than to let her guard down. Taking the time to sleepily wake up could very well get you killed. Mirsh, a little Devaronian boy Ashlynn frequently was getting out of trouble, stood next to her, crying and looking absolutely terrified. "What happened Mirsh? Take a deep breath and tell me," Ashlynn stated, using her species-given ability to try and calm him even a bit. The Zeltron was known among this part of the poor section as a sort of Den mother for the homeless kids, and usually when there was a problem, she was the first one they told. It wasn't like they really had anyone else to rely on, so despite losing much needed sleep and not really being in a good enough condition to be a whole lot of help, she was already getting up from the alley floor and stretching, ready to move.

"D-danni and me were l-looking for cool stuff to sell in the wreckage of old Cobelin's store," Mirsh explained, his breath occasionally hitching from the intensity of his tears. He was shaking, Ashlynn noted, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She already had a feeling of where this was going. He continued, "B-but I tripped over a rod and part of the wall fell, and Danni's trapped underneath and she's gonna die! You have to save her!"

"Damn," Ashlynn muttered. "Wait here Mirsh, it's safe. I'll be back with Danni," she promised, before dashing off. Danni was no older than 6, a little Twi'lek girl who had a future that was going to be so much better than her present. It had to be. "Kriffing Mandolorians! Kriffing Republic!" the woman silently cursed, turning a corner. She weaved in and out of the amassing crowds, a relief station just a little ways up the street. She didn’t go to them for help though. She knew they would ignore her, much more inclined to help proper citizens then two street rats. Ashlynn didn’t need their kind of help.

Reaching the store, it didn’t take her long to feel Danni’s overwhelming fear, trapped underneath the debris of the destroyed place. Rushing over, Ashlynn found the tiny girl, her fading whimpering alarming her more than anything.

“Danni, hunny, don’t move a muscle, okay? I’m going to get you out of there,” she assured her. The problem was, she had no idea how. If she moved things around too much, they could fall even more and completely crush the girl underneath. But if she left her much longer, Danni could very well suffocate, or bleed out if she was injured. Ashlynn found a spot where she felt okay trying to lift the large portion of the wall away, and managed to climb over to it. She glanced around, but this part of the city was basically abandoned, having been hit almost immediately by the first wave of troopers. Curling her fingers around the edge of the fallen wall, Ashlynn attempted to lift it. It didn’t budge. Cursing, Ashlynn continued to try until her fingers bled, but there was no moving it.

“Ashy, I feel funny, and my leg hurts,” Danni said weakly.

“I’m going to find someone to help,” Ashlynn told her, getting up. She was stopped by the girl’s feeble protests to not leave her. Biting her lip, Ashlynn cupped her hands to her mouth and just started shouting, “Can someone help me? Please?! I need help!” She continued to try and find a way to free the girl, still shouting for assistance all the while. Her desperation washed away her usual distaste towards saying the words.