The Battle of Jedha by George Mann

Author:George Mann [Mann, George]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2023-02-14T00:00:00+00:00

SCENE 52. EXT. OUTSIDE A STREET VENDOR’S STALL—THE NEXT MORNING

ANNOUNCER:

Time until the battle begins: five hours.

ATMOS: The atmosphere is a bit lower-key out in the city this morning. Just the hiss of boiling water, the clatter of pots, and the soft braying of working animals being led through the streets, their hooves clopping on stone.

FX: Creighton sips from a hot drink.

CREIGHTON:

(DUBIOUS)

What do they call this again?

SILANDRA:

(AMUSED)

Supata. It’s a Twi’lek drink from Aaloth.

CREIGHTON:

It’s…umm…

SILANDRA:

An acquired taste. Stick with it.

CREIGHTON:

(DUBIOUS)

If you say so.

FX: Creighton takes another sip.

SILANDRA:

How are you, Creighton?

CREIGHTON:

It’s not me you should be worried about.

SILANDRA:

But I am. The pressure…all these attacks, jeopardizing your hard work. It takes a toll.

CREIGHTON:

(SIGHS)

It does. But what else is there but to forge ahead? We can’t let them win, can we? Those who’d see everything we’re trying to do torn down.

SILANDRA:

It doesn’t make it any easier though, does it?

CREIGHTON:

No. I’ll admit that much. I’m tired, Silandra.

(Beat, then BRIGHTER)

But the treaty will be signed today. And I can go back to drinking coolers on Coruscant.

SILANDRA:

(LAUGHS)

I’ll never get you city people. There’s a whole frontier out there to be explored.

CREIGHTON:

And there’s people like you keen to explore it. Thank the Light.

FX: A procession trundles past, jangling small bells and beating skins. Creighton and Silandra wait until they’ve passed before continuing.

CREIGHTON:

How goes the investigation?

SILANDRA:

We’re making slow progress.

CREIGHTON:

We?

SILANDRA:

The adjunct from the Church of the Force.

CREIGHTON:

Keth? The one whose droid was missing?

SILANDRA:

Yes. His droid turned up a few hours after the bombing. It wasn’t the one you saw explode. I’ve met it. It’s…strange, to say the least. But harmless.

CREIGHTON:

I’m pleased to hear Keth is innocent. But it does mean we’re back to square one in our search for culprits.

So, you’ve enlisted the adjunct to help?

SILANDRA:

He’s assisting, helping me navigate the different sects and factions here on Jedha.

CREIGHTON:

Good. But are you any closer to identifying the bombers?

SILANDRA:

Not yet. Frustratingly, everyone I talk to who was there at the ceremony claims to have seen a different person talking to the droid. A soldier from Eiram, or E’ronoh. A Guardian of the Whills. A Lew’elan. A Jedi.

CREIGHTON:

But no one from the Path of the Open Hand?

SILANDRA:

No. Why? What do you know?

CREIGHTON:

We spoke to Gella. She suspects them to have been involved somehow in the attacks on Eiram and E’ronoh’s royals, but had no significant evidence. Chancellor Greylark’s son, Axel, told her that his co-conspirators were “free of the Jedi,” whatever that means.

SILANDRA:

Interesting. It certainly sounds like the Path. You know they were here in the markets last night, making waves?

CREIGHTON:

No. I was a bit tied up…

SILANDRA:

Of course. Well, apparently some of the animals brought in for the festival escaped from their cages. They wounded a small child from the Path, and some civilians, including their keeper. They were hunting people in the crowds. The Path stepped in and rounded them all up. They’re being hailed as heroes.

CREIGHTON:

And they were on hand to help with the injured after the first bombing, too.

SILANDRA:

I know they’re a bit intense, and distrustful of Jedi, but do you

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