They couldn't hear the sounds of battle, but they could see a swarm of machines the size of sesame seeds moving around.
"Don't get killed by accident," Amir said as he quickly uploaded the data to the computer.
"It's best not to be on this planet." Despite his words, Amir felt that there was a high probability that Lango was here.
Just then, Gerita's communication came through.
"Amir! The Empire has invaded." In the holographic projection, she stood on the balcony, looking into the distance.
The planet she was on was right next to this one. From her perspective, this planet looked slightly larger than the moon.
"I see it!" Amir replied, quickly scanning the data.
"Is he there? Your friend?"
"I'm looking for him." After skimming through a lot of useless information, Amir finally found the person's name.
"Good. These mines belong to the same company, so they have information on everyone inside."
"Here!" Amir zoomed in on a photo of a green-skinned Farlin with Chewbacca the Wookiee beside him.
But that wasn't all. Above them were several blond men.
"Could these be Gulina's people?"
The name of the mine they belonged to was listed below their avatars, and Amir saw it: Zimru Mine.
He said to Gerita, "I found it. It's near the base where the Empire is attacking."
Gerita's expression also grew serious.
"Even though I know you won't listen, I still have to say that going there now isn't a good idea," she said.
"It's not a choice, Gerita." Amir sat down in the pilot's seat. "So wish me luck."
"The Mandalorian, are you still there?"
"I'm leaving."
"Five thousand credit points."
"Six thousand." The Mandalorian hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Deal."
" Gerita, you should go. It's not safe there either."
"I will." Gerita ended the call.
Leaning against the pilot's seat, Amir felt the Force within him begin to stir.
. . .
"Those damn Empire bastards!" someone shouted from the crowd.
"Now we have no ship! What are we supposed to do? Get captured by the Empire and be chained up here until we die?!"
Despair spread throughout the mine.
Most of them were ordinary people who had been kidnapped from their homes and enslaved. The torture they endured here had already broken their weak wills.
Now, faced with a glimmer of hope, they were met with even greater despair.
"Friends!" A red-skinned, muscular man stood up and shouted to the guards in the distance. "This place is doomed! There's no point in fighting anymore. Why don't we work together to escape this planet?"
A black-haired man stepped forward from the opposite side, raised his blaster, and holstered it on his back.
He must be the leader of the guards here.
"There's a mining transit station to the south. There might be a ship there. I suggest we split up and head toward the mountains in that direction. The rocks will provide cover, making it hard for fighter jets to spot us," the leader said.
"There's no other way. Let's go!" The burly man walked over to Lango, nodded, and ran toward the exit.
"Hurry up! The Empire has destroyed our ship. They've clearly spotted us." Another voice shouted, and the crowd began to stir. The miners found their companions and scattered toward a large area to the south.
Lango and Chewbacca led the group of blond-haired people and followed the burly, red-skinned man.
"What should we do, Wolf?" Lango asked.
"Come here, Lango."
Wolf pulled Lango to his side.
"I got one of these." He held out his hand and revealed a communicator.
"We can't rely on what he said. Even if there's a ship there, it's long gone."
"I sent a message to a friend. He'll come rescue me. Let's find a safe cave and hide for a few days."
"We have no choice." Lango thought of his friends, hesitated, and said nothing.
"Chewbacca! What are you holding?" Lango suddenly noticed the Wookiee carrying a box.
"Grrr!"
"What? Did you pick that up from the guards?" Lango looked at the box and was startled. "Is that refined ore?"
The Wookiee shook his head, indicating that he didn't know.
"Stop!" Wolf suddenly pressed his body against the wall, crouched down, and told the group behind him to be quiet.
Lango and the others quickly hid behind him.
Two TIE fighters circled overhead.
"Here." After the fighters flew past, the group continued forward.
"We can't escape! The Empire's army is everywhere!" the blond youth whispered timidly once more.
"Shut up and follow me, Lorin," Lango said.
The group kept walking, and after a long time, dusk fell.
"It's a troop transport ship. Damn it! They're not going to let the mine go," said Wolf, looking into the distance. Several troop transport ships flew toward the mine, one of them not far ahead.
"Hide! There seems to be a cave over there." Lango's pupils dilated. In the darkness, his eyesight was much better than that of ordinary people.
"Roar!" Chewbacca also noticed them.
Wolf glanced back. There were nearly twenty of them, and they were easy targets. Each of them had been tortured and was extremely weak.
Their chances of escape would be much higher if they abandoned them, but these were Lango's companions.
The group quickly made their way toward the cave.
"We're in luck." Wolf peered inside and found that it was spacious enough to accommodate them all.
"Hurry up and get in!" Lango urged the others at the entrance to move inside.
"Quick, quick!" The troop transport ship had already landed.
After everyone had entered, Lango squeezed through the entrance last.
. . .
"Sir, why are we doing this? They're just slaves. They're not a threat." A stormtrooper said this after killing two fleeing miner slaves.
"It's an order, kid. Everyone here could be part of the Rebellion."
"But they're not."
The leading officer turned to look at the stormtrooper. "They died for the justice of the Empire. We have honored them."
"We are the invaders. I don't think this is justice." The stormtrooper glared at the officer with dark eyes.
The officer merely smiled coldly. There were many like him—those who started with passion but were eventually worn down, leaving only doubt behind.
"Obey orders, or I'll treat you like a deserter. Any questions?"
The stormtrooper hesitated for half a second before answering, "No questions, sir."
"This war will be long. We will conquer this prosperous star system for the Empire and bring peace to its people. In the end, the Empire will treat you fairly."
The small squad moved slowly across the yellow terrain as the sky grew completely dark. Someone turned on the flashlight of their blaster.
"Is there a cave over there? You, soldier, go check it out."
"Me?" The stormtrooper who had just spoken turned his head, paused for a moment, and replied, "Yes, sir."
He had asked for it; there was no way to refuse.
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