The Summer Strikes Back, Part 26

For the first time in Ocean View's two-hundred-year history, the City Council meeting at City Hall was packed with more non-Council members than actual politicians. Word spread quickly that Senator Martha Mothma of Pennsylvania was going to make a speech here tonight. She had frequently vacationed in Ocean View in the 60's and 70's, and had been among those who advocated changes to local fire codes and increased police presence after the disastrous Order 66 Diner fire in 1970.

Hank sat with Chip, Lance, Cassian, and Jyn in the uncomfortable metal and vinyl chairs added for the extra attendees. He could see Kanan, Hera, and Ezra on one side, Bodhi on another. Admiral Ackbar, a ruddy old gent whose gaping mouth and wide brown eyes gave him the look of a squid, or a salmon that was just caught in a net, sat to Mothma's right. Old Jan Dodonna, his silvery beard bristling even more than usual, leaned back in his chair on her left.

“Palpatine has made a critical error,” she began. “When he was only badgering local businesses, he was well within his legal rights, more annoying than harmful. The attempted arson at the Marine Adventure Pier in July and several attacks on innocent citizens, including tourists, have convinced me that Palpatine's plans may do more harm than good to this town.”

Mayor Hector Thrawn snorted next to Ackbar. He was a handsome, if cold, man, the head of the town for over a decade. He was blue all over, from his shiny blue-black hair to his navy Italian striped suit. “I don't know what you're all worrying about. I saw the plans before they were confiscated. They may have been a little...excessive...in their original form, but they were sound. The hotels alone have three times as many rooms as the largest hostelry downtown. And the mall...”

Jan Dodonna stood up, glaring at him. “Will drive everyone else out of business! Or have you forgotten what it's like to feed your family? To keep your business running in an era where more and more people would rather visit Disney World than our boardwalk?”

“That's why we need this mall.” Thrawn had a malicious gleam in his eye. “It's called progress, Dodonna. Those who can roll with it, can profit from it. Those who stand in its way face being left behind.”

Hera raised her hand. “Have you considered how it'll effect the fishing industry? All those newcomers, competing with us for the same fish and scallops. We have a hard enough time dealing with them as it is.”

Another hand went up in the crowd. “What about the boardwalk?” Kes Dameron managed to get his hand over his son Poe, who played with a stuffed Smurf doll in his lap. “A lot of families have owned businesses there for generations. And that new theme park would wipe out the amusement parks.”

Rieekian glared at Thrawn. “Let's not forget what the Imperial Gang did to the block party at the Phineas Estate Community Park. The front lawns and several gardens had to be replanted, WACZ is up in arms because their best DJ landed in the hospital for a week, and half the parents who came demanded refunds because some gang terrified their kids. Is that the image we want to present the world?”

Officer Chris Madine joined Senator Mothma at the podium. “That's why the Ocean View Police Department is deputizing several local citizens to provide extra help for the Labor Day festivities, including the surfing contest, the Boat Pageant, and dealing with the crowds on the boardwalk and in town. We feel that if the Imperial Gang has any intention of starting fires or causing trouble, it'll be during those hours.”

To Lance and Chip's surprise, he added “Mr. Solokowski, have you assembled your team yet?”

Hank pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose. “Not yet. I need a crew to patrol the surfing contest, and the Marine Adventure Pier and boardwalk between Victoria Drive and Ocean Avenue during the Boat Pageant.”

Wedge shook his head. “And we Rogues can't help. After the surfing contest, we promised Lance we'd be his crew on the Falcon.”

Charlie waved his beefy hand.”Here's one, mate!” He grabbed Chip's arm before he could protest. “And another!”

Jyn threw Cassian's hand in the air, then raised her own. “Two more right here.”

“Jyn!” Cassian groaned. “We'll be on duty during the surfing contest!”

“But not during the Boat Pageant.” Jyn smirked. “The beach is closed after 6, and the Boat Pageant is at 7.”

“We're with you, too!” All eyes flew to the back of the room. Leia and Luke Walker had their hands in the air. Luke's big grin lit up his tanned face.

“Mr. Solokowski,” added Leia with a small smile, “count me in.”

“I'm afraid I'm not up to playing cops and robbers,” Ben Kenobi added, “but I'll do what I can.”

Arturro Detonski kept his hand raised as he made his way over to his best friend. He gave Chip such a huge hug, he was barely able to add that his best friend wanted to volunteer. “Exciting,” the blond moaned, “is hardly the word I'd choose!”

Gasps of surprise went up around the room as a tiny old Asian man wound his way through the crowd. He went right up to Senator Mothma, ignoring her shocked handlers, and kissed her hand. “Hello, Miss Mothma. Or is it Senator now, you are? Seen you in years, I have not. Remember you when you were young woman. Not a surfer, you were, but worked for the City Council, you did.”

She chuckled. “I thought you were dead, you old reprobate.”

“News of my death, greatly exaggerated, it was.” Yoda had to stand on a table to face the crowd, but he did face them. “Long suspected Imperial Gang was behind Order 66 Diner fire, they were. Now, they want rest of town. Give it to them, we will not. Stop them, we will.”

“How can you stop them, old man?” Thrawn glared at him. “You're not even an Ocean View resident anymore.”

“But I am.” Ben Kenobi managed to totter through the crowds on his crutches. “I've made a few calls since I was laid up, done some research. Someone's been telling the Imperial Gang where and when to strike.” He glared at Thrawn. “I have reason to believe it's someone of high standing in this community. Peter Tarkin was doing it, but once he was arrested, someone else had to take his place. Do you know anything about that, Mayor Thrawn?”

“That's absurd, Kenobi!” Thrawn sputtered. “This is my town. I make a very comfortable living as mayor.”

“Too comfortable.” Admiral Ackbar's fish eyes glinted. “This is a small town. How do you afford all those fancy suits, the expensive new house in the development in West Ocean View, the luxury yacht you have tied up at Brentwood Marina? They can't be paying you that well.”

Thrawn looked down his long pale nose at him. “Are you accusing me of taking bribes?”

“I think you're doing more than that.” Ben Kenobi gritted his teeth. “I think you're on Palpatine's payroll. Have been for years.”

Luke was about to join his uncle up front when Leia took hold of his arm. “Luke, the smoke!” It was a cool night for early September. All the windows had been open to catch sea breezes and save on air conditioning. A thick plume of white smoke drifted through the windows. People began to scream as the smell of burning brick assaulted the boy's nostrils. His sister yanked him outside as Madine started to evacuate the meeting.

“Shit.” Hank and Charlie joined them on the sidewalk, pointing to a small flame that was already licking the side of the building. “Someone's gotta call the fire department, and fast! This building is older n' sin. It'll go up like a matchstick!”

Leia grinned at her boyfriend's glasses. “By the way, you look really cute like that. I think the scholarly look actually works for you. Makes you look like Indiana Jones in professor mode.”

“I didn't have a choice,” Hank muttered. “Charlie couldn't find my spare sunglasses.”

“Look!” Leia pointed to two Imperial Gang members emerging from the smoke. One carried a can of gasoline. They jumped on motorcycles and sped off down Ocean Avenue. “Let's get those assholes!”

“Wait, Leia!” Luke started after her. “What about Yoda and Uncle Kenobi?”

“They'll get out with Madine.” She yanked him in so hard, he almost fell in her lap. “Come on! We have to catch up with them!”

“Charlie n' Lance n' me will get the guys who went down the street.” Hank smirked. “We could use a good fight.”

“Quietly!” Luke made a face. “There might be more of them out there.”

Hank gave him the infamous lazy grin that drove them both crazy. “Hey, it's me.”

Leia and Luke took off as the first fire truck arrived, Leia driving. “There they are!” She pointed down Adams Avenue. They barely missed a family heading across the street to the Adams Avenue Inn, then another strolling to Bailywick's Leather Shop. They managed to get close enough to one for Leia to climb onto his motorcycle...just in time for another to charge down Jefferson Road.

“Are you insane?” Her brother's blue eyes widened. “You don't know how to drive a motorcycle!”

She shrugged. “How hard could it be to figure it out? After all, they can do it!”

“All right, sis. Nice knowing you.” They looked up at once as the sound of another cycle joined them. “You take that one!” Luke yelled over the noise of the Mazda. “I'll take this!” He turned on King's Lane as Leia followed the Imperial to Jefferson Road, past the Green Yavin Motel and the Jefferson Motor Court. She turned off at Baltimore Avenue and into the Endor Estates development, past houses new and old, many with children playing on swing sets and chasing each other in their narrow backyards.

He finally turned off at the twin Ocean View Roads. A grassy strip of land dotted here and there with a few trees separated the two sides of the road. She didn't understand why there were two roads with what amounted to a narrow park in between, but she knew from talking to Davy that the local kids loved it. She was about to speed after the Imperial when her motorcycle sputtered, then rolled to a stop.

“Damn it!” She twisted the key in what she assumed was the ignition, trying to get it to turn over. No luck. “Shit,” she muttered as she tapped a gauge. “Figures. I'm out of gas.”

“Well,” she muttered to herself, “I guess there's worse places to be stuck.” The Fields, as Davy and his friends called them, were actually rather quiet and pleasant. It was late, almost dinner time. Most of the kids were probably just heading off to eat dinner. A bee droned over bone-dry grass; a lawn mower buzzed in the distance. The scent of grills being fired up made her mouth water.

“Leia!” Little Davy Wicket looked both ways before rushing across the empty street. “What are you doin' here? I thought you'd be at school, or with your brother.”

Leia chuckled. “What are you wearing?” He was dressed as a little boy's idea of a bear warrior, in a hood with bear's ears on it, a “chest plate” made from an old tin pan and twine, and a “spear” that was likely a broom handle with a sharp rock tied on the end.

“We're Ewoks!” Davy grinned proudly. “That's what we call our club. Me, my sister Windy, Latara, Kneesa, Tee, Logan, Peter, Ezra, my big brother Willy, n' all the other kids.” Davy stood up to his full height. “We know there's been bad grown-ups trying to hurt everybody, so we thought we'd do somethin' to help out. Like He-Man and Blackstar.”

“Davy,” Leia started, bending down to his height, “would your parents minded it if I used their phone? I...er...borrowed a motorcycle from someone, and it ran out of gas. I have to get a hold of my uncle or my brother. Uncle Ben, at least, is probably at his cottage by now.”

“Ok!” Davy put out his hand. “We were just about to have dinner. I could ask Mum and Dad if you could eat with us.”

“Only if they'll let me. I don't want to be a bother.” She took his smaller hand. “And then we have to find my brother. He was being chased by some really bad people. I'm worried about him. They're probably the same people who tried to burn down City Hall.”

Davy's big brown eyes grew even wider. “Someone tried to burn down City Hall? With people inside?”

“Yes.” The older girl sighed. “I'll explain it over dinner.”

“Okay!” Davy squeezed her hand. “Come on! Mum n' my siblings n' I went crabbing today at the wetlands near Holly Beach,” the little boy chattered as they headed across the street to the small white split-level house with brick red awnings. “We're going to have crabs that you crack open yourselves, and Mum's cole slaw, and potato salad, and corn on the cob!”

Leia smiled. “You don't say?”

“Yeah!” He opened the door for her. “I'm glad you're me friend, Leia. You're so nice!”

“Thanks, Davy. I'm glad you're my friend, too.” She went in first, followed quickly by the little boy.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Thankfully, Davy's parents had no problems with her using the phone or with the dinner invitation. “It was just going to be us tonight,” Mrs. Wicket admitted. “We have plenty of everything. Besides, the kids love you. We'll miss you when you go back to school.”

Leia called Uncle Ben on the phone in Mr. and Mrs. Wicket's room for more privacy. “Uncle?”

“Leia!” Ben sounded extremely worried. “You caught me at the right time. Yoda and I just walked in the door. Where's Luke? Is he with you?”

“No, he isn't.” Leia shifted on the king sized bed with the walnut headboard and orange, white, and brown zig-zag comforter. “We got separated. I haven't seen him. I'm at Davy Wicket's house in Endor Estates on Ocean View Avenue. I...borrowed...a motorcycle, and it broke down here. I could probably get a ride home from his parents.”

“You be careful.” Ben's voice dropped. “The attacks were clearly arson. It's a good thing City Hall is only two blocks from the fire department. They were able to put it out minutes after you left. As far as I know, no one was hurt, and the damage wasn't horrible.” Yoda's sing-song voice piped up in the background. “He's right,” her uncle continued. “This wasn't just harassing tourists. Between this and their attempt on Maz's pier, it's clear that these people won't rest until the whole town is burnt to the ground.”

“I'll be all right, Uncle.” Leia looked up as Mrs. Wicket called her children to the kitchen. “We're about to eat. I should be home in a couple of hours. I love you!”

“Love you too, dear.” Ben let her go just as Davy ran in and grabbed her hand, tugging her to the table.

Dinner was a feast. Leia never had such succulent crab. Mrs. Wicket melted butter to dip the pieces in. The cole slaw and potato salad were real, not bought from the Ajax Grocery Store's deli. The corn on the cob was the sweetest she'd ever tasted, fresh from the farm stand in western Ocean View. After they ate, Leia offered to help Willy with the dishes. Davy put the few leftovers in the refrigerator, while Windy vacuumed crumbs from under the table.

She'd just put the last dish in the drying rack when they heard banging at the door. Mrs. Wicket opened it, revealing two children, a girl in a strawberry-print smocked sun romper, and a boy in frayed jean shorts and a blue striped t-shirt. Both wore hoods with ears like Davy's. The girl carried a “knife” made from cardboard and tin foil and had her own tin-pan chest plate. The boy had twine around his arm and a plastic chest plate that looked like it probably came from a knight dress-up set.

“Mrs. Wicket,” the boy said, “can Davy n' Willy n' Windy come out and play? It's important!”

“Yeah,” the girl added excitedly. “We caught a whole buncha spies!”

Leia just happened to look out the living room window. Her eyes caught sight of two familiar blond and auburn heads against the trees. “Oh good grief. Mrs. Wicket, I'll take the kids out to the Fields. I think I know who their 'spies' are.”

Mrs. Wicket chuckled. “Please do, then! Davy, Willy, Windy, you can only stay out for an hour. It's getting dark earlier, and you have to start going to bed earlier, too. You'll be going back to school on Tuesday.”

“I'll be ok, Mum!” Davy took Leia's hand. “Leia's with us!”

It took a few minutes for the kids to get their sneakers and flip-flops back on. Windy needed her bear hood and tin pan “chest plate,” and they all wanted weapons. Windy and Willy both had “bows” made from twine and branches and “arrows” made from twigs. Eventually, Leia bundled the trio out the door and across the street.

At least ten neighborhood kids, all of them in bear hoods and chest plates, were gathered around the only two trees on this block of the Fields. Two of the boys wound twine around Luke and Han, whose wrists were bound as well. Charlie and Arturro were tied to the other tree. Chip was the only one who hadn't been wound with twine. He was surrounded by several of the kids, who tried to tug him over to Leia.

Arturro grumbled in his language from under the smaller tree. “Why did they attack you and not me?” Chip sniffed. “I'm very good with little ones. I have five younger brothers and sisters back in London. I think they look up to me like I'm some kind of god.”

“Well,” Hank started, his lazy grin now looking almost murderous, “why don't you use your divine influence and get them to let us go?”

“I'm sorry, Mr. Solokowski,” Chip shrugged, “but I already tried that. They're quite convinced that you're spies for the Russians or Chinese. They can't seem to be dissuaded otherwise.”

“I ain't no blo...blasted James Bond!” Charlie growled. “The tykes like you! You talk to them!”

Leia started to the kids, who surrounded her. “Look, kids, these are my friends. The blond in the leather jacket is my brother Luke, and the one with the brown hair is my...my good friend Hank. They're no more spies than I am!”

“Can we trust her, Davy?” A girl in a heart-print t-shirt and jean shorts held her branch bow and arrow on her.

“Of course we can, Lateeka!” Davy grinned up at Leia. “She's my friend!”

“Kids,” Luke said thoughtfully, “if you let us go, you might be able to help us.”

Charlie raised his eyebrows. “How? They're little nippers!”

“Well, short help is better n' no help at all.” Hank shifted uncomfortably. “Kids, you guys know the beach n' boardwalk pretty well, right?”

“Sure,” said one of the older boys. “Our parents take my sister n' me up there all the time.”

“We were going to go tomorrow!” Windy squeaked. “Mum and Dad were going to let us see the big boat parade at Miss Maz' pier!”

“Good.” Hank grinned at Leia. “You know, the last thing the Imperials will be expecting is an assault from the kids of Ocean View.”

“That is true,” Chip admitted. “They'll be expecting us to assault them, not youngsters.”

Leia groaned. “Hank, no! We can't get them involved! They're just kids!”

“Who better n' tykes to surprise 'em?” Charlie grinned as Kneesha untied him.

“If you let us go,” Luke went on, “we'll tell you how you can help us.”

“Ok!” Willy and two of the older boys started untying them. “No funny business, though!” Willy poked his twig arrow into Luke's chest. “We're watchin' you!”

Hank ran to Leia the moment he was free. Ignoring sighs from some kids and gagging from others, he swung her around and gave her the biggest kiss possible. “I'm so glad you're ok, sweetheart.” He nibbled around her neck. “When Luke told me about the motorcycle and the Imperial...”

“Later, dear.” She nudged his arm and pointed at Davy and Windy, who were watching them with wide eyes. “We're not alone.”

His grin was happy and genuine, even as he pushed up his glasses. “We'll have to take a rain check on that, then.”

“Thanks, Chip.” Luke grinned at the skinny blond. “And why don't you tell them what's going on, since you seem to be so good with them?”

“Well, all right.” Chip settled on the blankets as the others gathered around him. “But I warn you, I'm not very good with stories.”

Leia leaned on Hank's shoulder as Davy climbed into her lap and Windy claimed Hank's. Kneesha decided she liked Charlie's lap. Arturro chased Willy around when he tried to poke at him. Luke leaned against a tree, just off from the rest of the group. Leia wished she could figure out why he was being so aloof.

“Now, this starts way back,” Chip began, “back at the beginning of the summer, when the Imperial Gang raided our beach...”