Star Wars: Rebellion and Betrayal

Chapter 33

Abie's eyes were closed but she certainly wasn't sleeping. Her mind was a frenzy of activity, replaying the last half hour over and over again.

It was the most difficult aspect of being in command. It was the way that Abie took losses to heart that made her into such a compassionate and thoughtful leader.

"Coming out of hyperspace," a voice behind her said. Abie opened her eyes to see the vast expanse of empty space. To her right and left she could see the Iron Stump and the Tonus who had arrived just before the Insurgent. With a wave of her right hand, Oster was standing next to her command chair. "Oster, have we tallied the losses yet?"

The Bothan pulled out a data pad and began scrolling through a list. "When it comes to personnel, we lost eight with another thirteen injured. Pretty good, all things considered."

Abie groaned and slumped in her chair. "Eight lives too many."

Oster moved around to the front of Abie's command chair. "Lady Edge, the Empire ambushed us, and we were prepared thanks to you. Those we lost, sacrificed themselves so that the rest of us could live to fight another day."

"Speaking of the rest of us," Abie said as she leaned forward in her chair. In the viewport she could see a small freighter pop out of hyperspace. "They made it!" Abie jumped from her seat and patted Oster on the shoulder. "Get me a list of equipment we had to leave behind. I am going to speak to Twitch and Rhodes."

The Bothan acknowledged the order as Abie swiftly walked out of the bridge. It wasn't long before she was standing at one of the main airlocks on the outside of the Insurgent. Just when she was beginning to think she walked to the wrong airlock, she heard the outside mechanisms latching onto the smaller ship. Abie waited impatiently until the airlock door slid open.

Kasdeya was the first to step out of the Kestrel. She wore a somber expression on her face as she walked past Abie and staggered down the hallway. Abie was confused but she still sported a beaming expression. Twitch was next to step into the hallway followed by Lena whose eyes were fixated on the ground. Abie's excited smile quickly ran from her face as she saw the girl.

"What is she doing here?" Abie shouted. Twitch went to respond but was immediately cut off by his seething sister. "No! Not from you. I know this is Rhodes' fault and he is going to answer for it. Where is he?"

Twitch took a deep breath before responding. "He's gone."

Abie threw her arms in the air. "Did that fool go off and play hero and get himself captured? I told him—"

"No, Abie. He's gone," Twitch cut in while putting his hands on her shoulders.

Abie's angry expression quickly faded into a blank face. As fast as her anger faded, it returned with more intensity than before. By now, a few more rebels had gathered around to see what was going on. "Throw her out the airlock!" Abie finally shrieked, pointing at Lena.

Twitch was quick to step in front of the pair of rebels who went to comply with what Abie had said. "Wait!" he said, putting one hand toward the rebels and another toward Lena. "Rhodes sacrificed himself so that she could live. We shouldn't be so quick to pass judgment."

Abie took a few steps forward until her finger was poking his chest. "Everyone knows you have a soft spot for this girl. You are hardly the one who should decide her fate."

Before Twitch could respond, Hunter began to push his way past Twitch and Lena. The astromech made his way to the center of the hallway while emitting a flurry of beeps and whistles.

"A message from Rhodes?" Abie asked as she stared at the droid.

"Maybe we should listen to that first," Twitch added.