Sparks

Chapter Fourteen - The Lights in the Dark

As Erica grasped what happened, the boy ran to her, hugging her. She hugged him back, as a wave of emotions hit her.

He didn't die. And I didn't look for him.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" He sounded surprised.

"I didn't look hard enough, I...I'm sorry I left you all by yourself."

He was quiet for a moment as if he was putting his thoughts together. "Everything happened so fast...it's not your fault."

Then the reunion was cut short by a sudden banging. "Hey Erica, are you in there yet?"

"Yeah, I'll get it," she said, going over to the door. "You know Zeb?" Ezra asked, confused.

"Only for a few hours. How do you know-" The door opened with Zeb and Chopper rushing in.

"Heard Stormtroopers comin' in. We need to go- Oh kid this is Erica by the way-"

"Yeah, I um, know her pretty well already." "What in blazes are you talking about?"

Erica cut in. "My last name is Bridger."

Zeb looked from Ezra to Erica, and back to Erica.

"The kid said that you..."

Ezra looked back at her, and the two were awaiting an explanation that Erica didn't have time to give.

"The short version is that I got out in time. I'll tell the rest later because we should get out of here."

Zeb nodded. "Okay, we need to go. Hera said for us to meet her in the sky." Right then, Erica heard faint voices.

"Last time I saw the Ghost they were heading east. Let's go." Erica noticed that Ezra didn't question her going with them. As they ran into the tiny Phantom, Chopper flew up to the top. Zeb went to the controls and prepared to take off. Ezra pulled out his comm and pressed a button. "Specter Two?" Silence. "Specter Two, are you there?" Static filled the room. "Great, they jammed the comms. What are we supposed to do now?"

TIEs flew by as the Phantom across the sky. Zeb shot several blasts at the passing starfighters. "Okay, we need to stop and make a plan!" Blasts hit the small ship, rocking it and causing Erica and Ezra to stumble.

"I don't think that they'll wait for us to make one!" Erica shouted, regaining her balance.

Ezra warned, "Turn to the left!" The ship lurched to the side as a fatal shot hit the air where they would have been. Erica stared at Ezra because she sensed that shot.

"How did you know that?" Before he could answer, the ship jerked to the other side, causing the siblings the fall to the floor.

"Those blasted Imperials took out the engine!" Zeb roared. Chopper panicked over the intercom as the smoking ship dived towards the grass.

The ship hit the ground. As it skidded several meters forward, Erica held onto the wall for dear life. She grit her teeth as screeching from the ship's metal against the ground screamed in her ears.

A few moments later, the ship finally came to a stop. Erica slid down the wall and observed her companions. Both were unconscious, but she sensed that they were okay. Along with her talent to heal, she could sense physical pain. Zeb was hunched over the controls, holding his head. Not sure if it's a concussion, but that's definitely going to be a nasty bump. Against the wall, Ezra was on the ground too. He's okay except for a few bruises.

Erica sighed, relieved. Then she heard the TIEs. Uh oh. Getting to her feet and feeling several aches, she ran to the door. Four of them. Crap. She felt her side for her gun and pulled it out. Her heart sank when she looked at the power supply. I knew I should have charged it before I left Lothal!