This is the dawning...

[Neive Undant]

Neive saw the crates and moved behind them as well, blocking a few of the shots as Aaida pushed the crates through the doorway, Neive pulling the back of them to make sure they didnt get around until the freighter dropped down, almost on the ground as Neive went back over, keeping their fire off of the crates as Aaida pulled them aboard, Neive backing onto the opened back of the freighter as well before it began its ascent.

"We've got company in the air!" Called Lentan. Neive nodded, thinking as the freighter started moving away from the building and the base as a whole.

[Rhoden Carbine]

Rhoden payed no mind to the TIE's which were scrambling and converging on the ship as he rushed up the plank to the Firehawk. He threw full power to thrusters and shot straight into the air, thankful Dot had transmitted a start up order to Shadow. He brought the ship around and tore after the hostile ship.

The TIE's began spitting their deadly fire at the ship, as Rhoden closed at an admittedly hazardous speed, splitting off to allow him room to close. He rested his thumbs on the firing controls and Haly pulled up a targeting solution. Jorvan was up in his usual post in one of the turrets preparing to fire.

Rhoden keyed his comm, "In case you've not noticed you're outgunned," a blast shot up and missed the small freighter by meters as though to make Rhoden's point, "Set down now and this can end a bit more favorably." he said. He waited for the reply.

[Neive Undant]

Neive watched as the freighter flew forward, before the comm came in.

"Outgunned... Set down and we can end this..."

Neive sighed, sitting in the co-pilot's seat.

"Set down."

The others looked at him, as the utapauns shot forward, barely keeping up with them in the speeder.

Neive sighed, seeing the small village that he had seen in the past. He nodded at lentan, before he looked back to the view in front and slowed, losing altitude as they prepared to land.

A group of villagers walked out of their houses, looking at the two ships. Some were frightened, others confused as they watched the freighter set down nearby. The speeder stopped near the landing freighter, the two men on board getting off and walking towards it as the back opened, Aaida and Talren pushing the crates onto the grass below, Neive right behind.

[Rhoden Carbine]

The TIE's hovered in a circle around the freighter, the Firehawk hovered at a slight tilt overlooking the other ships boarding ramp. The boarding ramp lowered with Haly standing on it, holding her sniper rifle. The rifle was capable of firing more accurate and tight beamed stun shots than the average blaster but at this range she might well have to resort to lethal shots. Rhoden activated the external speakers on his ship.

"Lay down your weapons, step away from the crates, and put your hands behind your head." It would be an overreaction in the extreme to blow a crater into the earth where they stood but it was unacceptable to allow theft--even such a minor theft--to pass without consequence.

[Neive Undant]

Neive looked at them and nodded, the 6 all disarming. Neive looked at the TIE fighters for a secons before opening the crate, keeping his free hand up as he took a single piece of fruit from the crate. He looked to the village, one older man looking from the front of the group. The other 5 stood by, hands on their heads as Neive kept his hands up, walking towards the man. He walked out, the other villagers watching on as they met in the middle. Neive put his hand out to the man, the elder taking the fruit.

"I told you... Even if it killed me, i'd help you. Sorry we couldn't do more."

Neive awaited the words from the imperials, or the blaster fire. Whichever came first, he thought.

[Rhoden Carbine]

Rhoden dropped the ship to the ground and cycled down all power. He stepped out and observed the rebel delivering the food. His eye twitched and he walked over to the crate. He stared down into a box full, not of rations as it was marked, but of actual food. He kicked the lid to the contained open and felt Jorvan's eyes on his back. He snarled and ripped the lid off the other container.

There was the roar of an engine and a large open topped speeder came into view, Stormtroopers disgorged followed by the bases commanding officer. The troopers began to round up the rebels and head towards the civilians, the officer looked at the open crates and paled, trying and failing to maintain a straight face.

"No! Stand down!" Rhoden bellowed. The troopers paused uncertain, Jorvan and Haly raised their blasters and the troopers lowered theirs. Rhoden took his helmet off, and smiled down at it, then the officer. He pointed at the man, then at the crates, "Some nice rations, doubt they'd last long..." he hefted his helmet, his face contorted and he hurled it into the stomach of the officer. Before the man could collapse Rhoden's right arm darted out and the officer was lifted off his feet by his chin.

"Now, we'll discuss the implications of this," he gestured to the scene before them, "Privately." the officer gurgled and his eyes widened. Rhoden turned toward the lead rebel and the villagers, "Feel free to keep these, the Colonel here won't have use for them, and I daresay we'll be sending more your way."

Rhoden threw the colonel face first onto the boarding ramp of the Firehawk and Jorvan dragged him into the ship, Rhoden stuck a finger at the troublesome rebel he'd met so many times before. "You walk free this time. But we'll catch up with you eventually." he turned and swirled his finger in the air, "Get back to base! There's much to be done." the Stormtroopers complied, Rhoden did not think any among them were a part of the conspiracy, nor the TIE pilots--the officers, however... He would investigate. He picked up his helmet and put it back on.

[Neive Undant]

Neive and the others could only watch as the event unfolded between the man and the officers, Neive knew what was going through Rhoden's mind. The food wasn't given to these soldiers by the empire... They had gotten it somewhere else. And it wasn't hard to notice where.

As they began to pack up and leave, the two utapauns got the crates ready while Aaida and Talren handed the food out, Lentan prepping the ship for their exit while Neive sat beside him, contemplating what had happened.

Over the time Neive had seen the imperial, he had shown many different faces, from ruthless, to righteous. Neive didn't understand how he worked, how he thought... And part of him didn't want to.

As the freighter prepared to leave, after the food was distributed and everyone got their weapons and boarded the ship, Neive was still lost in thought as he wondered...

Did this man see what he was fighting for? Did he understand the methods that the empire used not just on the alliance, but on its own citizens?