“We can’t leave without searching for survivors,” Luke says.
Sidney flattens his ears and gnashes his teeth, but does not object.
“We’ll bury ourselves in the holding trough -“
“Too late,” Gideon says. “They’re here.”
Two white forms stand at the opposite end of the mill. Even though the troopers appear little larger than his finger, now that Luke has an opportunity to study them, he recognizes the bulky shapes of assault armor. As the young Rebel watches, one trooper points at the ships.
“What do we do now?” Sidney asks.
“Those are assault troopers,” Luke says. “They have miniature proton torpedo hurlers mounted on their suits. We won’t do the survivors any favors by getting ourselves torpedoed.” His words belie his own desire to fight back, but the odds of the three of them doing any damage to the stormtroopers are lower than he is willing to accept. “I have a better idea.”