The Draw

"The Draw" is a short story written by Angela Phillips that was originally published in Star Wars Adventure Journal 15 by West End Games in November 1997.
==Plot summary==
Mair Koda returns to Vernet after a six-month supply run. While landing at Maz-Verlin, she notices the lights of a new facility located at the north side of the city. After landing, she meets several residents of Maz-Verlin, including Lorne Turvey and Pursey Vermilla. Koda's stepfamily also shows up for their supplies. Koda asks her step-brother Yuri Stonelaw where his older brother Kristoff Stonelaw is. Her step-father informs her that he has other duties now. Confused, she presses him for more details but is told simply things have changed and he will explain over dinner. Koda cleans up on her light freighter Blue Boy and gets ready to head to her step-parents' house. She notices that the streets of the city seem empty. Yuri shows up at her ship and informs her that the Empire had set up a presence on Vernet and conscripted all the young men. He insists Koda help him rescue his older brother. Koda explains that it would be dangerous and presses her step-brother to think of the consequences. He convinces her to assist him and agree to take Kristoff off-planet.
Later that night, Yuri sneaks into the Vernet Imperial Army Training Camp by swimming under the camp's perimeter field. As he prepares to move further in, he notices another person emerge from the creek. Realizing they are wearing Imperial scout trooper armor, he attempts to shoot them but misses. The figure removes their helmet and reveals that it is Koda in disguise. She tells Yuri that the armor will assist them in getting around the camp undetected and will obscure the fact that she is a female. As they make their way to the barracks, Yuri wonders if his brother might be brainwashed and refuse to leave the camp. At the barrack, Koda takes up guard outside as Yuri sneaks in to wake up his brother. When he does, he tries to get him to leave, but Kristoff refuses. Outside, Koda is discovered by a patrolling guard, and is questioned about the security pass phrase. Not knowing it, she stuns the guard and runs off into the night.
The shot wakes up all the cadets, and Yuri manages to flee in the confusion. He hides in a nole tree as the camp occupants scramble to locate him. Once clear, he proceeds back to the creek so he can sneak out of the camp. Kristoff, deducing where his brother snuck in at, confronts him and explains that he believes in the Empire and is serving willingly. Yuri tries to convince him to leave, but Kristoff refuses. He tells his younger brother that he must take him to his commanding officer and that Yuri will be punished. Koda reaches under the perimeter force field and drags Yuri to safety.
Back in town, Koda finds the spaceport locked down by request from the Imperials. She ignores it, and flees into hyperspace with her younger step-brother. She comforts him as he anguishes over the loss of his brother, but she convinces him that since Kristoff didn't shoot them, it is possible he might still turn his back on the Empire.
==Appearances==
==Notes and references==
Category:Star Wars Adventure Journal fiction