Star Wars: Heir to the Sith (Part 1) (#Wattys2018 shortlist)

Chapter 54: "Always good to have a wookie on your side!"

Ella knew there was no where to run to. The hangar led out onto a precipice that ended in a sharp cliff face.

But she promised herself she wouldn't be taken by Mahon.

She raised Jish's lightsaber and activated the green blade, determined to take as many as she could with her.

The stormtroopers advanced.

"Ella," Lance said quietly. "Don't do anything stupid. We've only got a few seconds left to wait."

She shot him an angry look, only to see him give her a wink.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

The answer came in a fury of red blaster fire that poured down onto the precipice. The stormtrooper line broke as super-heated rock was blasted up beneath the heavy cannon fire and several of them where tossed into the air.

"Sal!" Cor chirped. "About time!"

The white rounded shape of the Nova roared low overhead, turned dramatically, and continued to hammer the hangar bay with the heavy cannon mounted below its central cockpit.

"Always good to have a wookie on your side!" Lance yelled.

Ella shared his grin and de-activated her lightsaber.

Suddenly the Nova turned sharply, scraped the hangar, and rocked to face them.

A flurry of blaster bolts tore up the rock surface, cutting a path toward Ella.

"Look out!"

She pushed Cor aside and dived out of the way, falling to the ground in a desperate roll as the Nova turned back toward the hangar.

"Are you sure he's on our side?" she yelled.

"Piloting that thing single-handed whilst fighting isn't recommended," Lance shouted back.

The landing gear of the ship started to descend, and as the Nova levelled out the cannon once more found its mark, driving the stormtroopers back into whatever cover they could find, its shields impervious to their blasters.

Before the first of the landing feet touched the precipice, the boarding ramp was already dropping open.

Still, more stormtroopers were arriving by the second, and Ella noticed a squad who were readying a heavy cannon of their own.

Chip was speaking in a whisper, seemingly lost in concentration.

"Salpantor, do you see the yellow canisters inside the hangar? They are compressed gas. Be so good as to put a shot into them would you?"

The Nova landed, bounced, and then landed again.

"No? Well there's no need for that kind of language," Chip said.

The first at the ramp was the Imperial officer from Mazier's staff, dragging Lance with Cor's help. Chip followed, with Ella overtaking the diminutive man as she ran.

Lance collapsed into the nearest seat.

"I can't fly this ship," he wheezed. "Look at me!"

He raised his arms and his hands shook uncontrollably.

"I could try . . ." Cor said. "I've seen it done a few time–"

"I've never flown anything," the Imperial admitted.

"I'll do it!" Ella shouted. "I've flown dozens of ships over the years." She stopped to look at the engineering dashboard, opposite Lance. It was familiar to her. She had seen it before, but either in reality or in one of the countless simulations Jish had forced her to endure she couldn't say.