Stowaway: A Star Wars Rebels Story

Creatures of the Beyond

(Credit to @KisTithen on DeviantArt)

Well, our journey isn't complete. We used up so much fuel on the return from Lira San that it's unlikely we'll make it back to Phoenix Squadron without finding a fuel source. But thanks to Hera's adept knowledge of the galaxy, we dropped out of hyperspace near an asteroid belt where there was rumored to be a refinery built within the rocks. If we can find a supply of fuel there, we're saved. But that might be a big if. "Sabine, fuel status," Hera said. ".05, we're almost down to fumes," she replied. "Sorry guys. Have to divert more power from thermal subsystems. Reducing heat to two percent," the Twi-Lek said. "Our intel on this source better be solid. I'm losing feeling in my fingers," Kanan pressed. "Saw the report myself. Somewhere in this belt, the Mining Guild has been refining Clouzon-36 for the Empire," she responded. Chopper beeped something and handed me a datapad to take my mind off the cold. I skimmed the device and was surprised at how much fuel there would be on that asteroid. "Woah. One shipment of that stuff could fuel our squadron's ships for a full cycle," I announced. "Empire is scheduled to pick up their shipment today. We just have to get there and find it first," Hera said, informing us of our new mission. "The asteroid field is scrambling our scanners," Sabine pointed out. "Getting nothing on the old visual scanners," Ezra added. Now we had to be near-perfect with our movements or we would be left floating in space. "All right, cut the chatter. Keep your eyes peeled for that refinery," Hera said. "Hera, talking is the only way I'm keeping my mind off the cold," I complained. "Does anyone hear that noise?" Ezra asked. I heard some faint sounds, but it was probably just my imagination. "The only thing that I hear is my brain freezing," Zeb grumbled. "There, the noise. I hear it again. It's getting louder," Ezra said. He seems oddly delusional. Maybe the cold is getting to him. "I don't see anything out there. What's it sound like Ezra?" Kanan wondered. "It's kind of hard to describe. Kind of sad, I guess. But how could you not hear it? It's coming from all around us," Ezra explained. Hera, who was already stressed out from our lack of fuel, didn't want to hear anything that could veer us from our mission. "Ezra, there's nothing to hear. Sabine, check the scanners again," the captain said. "Uh, don't have to. Look," the Mandalorian responded. I looked out the window to see some giant whale-like creatures floating directly in front of us. "Woah..." was all I could say.

The rest of the crew seemed to share my surprise. Everyone except Hera. "Brace yourselves!" she alerted, putting her hands on the steering. Chopper turned around upon seeing the beasts. Then they started to bump the Ghost around. "What the bloody blazes are those?" Zeb asked. "Purrgils. They'll rip the hull apart. Prepare to fire, we gotta drive them back," Hera said. "Don't shoot! They'll pass. Just let them do what they do," Kanan countered. "What they do is destroy starships like ours," Hera stressed. Sounds to me like she's had some unpleasant experiences with those things. "We can't waste power fighting those things. How are we gonna get to the refinery if we can't fly?" I chimed in, hoping that my words would change her mind. "What choice do we have?" Hera said, doubling down on her hatred of the purrgils. "Well we could just get out of their way," Sabine suggested. "We either run into them or the asteroids, take your pick," Hera said with Chopper warbling in agreement. "Try flying with them instead of against them," Ezra recommended. "That's not a half-bad idea," Sabine agreed. Unable to see any other solution to our woes, Hera finally gave in. "Fine, I can't believe I'm doing this." "It's not the strangest thing we've ever done," Kanan quipped. "Yeah that doesn't make me feel better," Hera muttered. She fired the engines and carefully maneuvered around the field of asteroids and purrgils before turning around and positioning the Ghost in the middle of the herd. "I think they're calming down. I'm not hearing them," Ezra said, seemingly establishing a connection between us and the whale's feelings. "That was a good instinct, Ezra. How'd you know?" Kanan asked, impressed with his Padawan. "It just seemed like the right thing to do," he said. "Okay, we're low on fuel, surrounded by asteroids, and caught in a swarm of purrgil. How has the situation improved exactly?" Hera questioned. Maybe they aren't running into us, Hera. "Hello? Are we shooting them or not? 'Cause here comes a really big one," Zeb said. The largest of the purrgils moved towards the nose guns and it really towered above the rest of its herd. It was mesmerizing to see how these things just floated through space. "Wow, these creatures are amazing. Who would want to shoot them?" Ezra spoke up, astonished. "Hera, maybe," I said half-jokingly. "Y/N, you don't know what you're talking about. I do," Hera chastised. "Well, since I'm so uneducated, why don't you explain your problem?" I pressed. "These creatures are a menace. A big, lumbering menace," Hera fired back. How exactly were they menacing? They just float through space doing...purrgil things I guess. "Uh, something's upsetting it," Ezra warned. "Maybe it's Hera," Kanan quipped. However, his joke didn't exactly age well as we heard an all too familiar sound heading our way. "No, it's not Hera. TIE fighters. Two of them. I need a better angle!" the Jedi shouted. "Hang on!" Hera said, adjusting the Ghost perfectly upwards. This allowed Kanan to easily take out one of the TIEs, but the other one escaped the turret's fire and flew to make another pass in front of our ship. But there was something different about these TIEs than the ones we've usually seen. "Those TIEs have been modified. They're not Imperial," Sabine pointed out. "Well they're acting like it," Kanan said. She was right. The front of the wings looked like they were cut off. "I've got him, I've got him...Hera, I've lost my cannons," Ezra alerted, desperate to shoot down the TIE that was heading right toward the Ghost. "Rerouting auxiliary power from the Phantom," Hera said, beginning the power diversion. She wasn't fast enough, though. The TIE let out a barrage of lasers that shook us a little bit. "Hera?" Ezra urged. The captain picked up the pace and eventually, the nose gun cannons went back online. Ezra shot down the TIE, ridding us of that nuisance.