Star Wars: Heir to the Sith (Part 2)

Chapter 19: "You know what I am saying is true! Trust your feelings!"

Salpantor growled a warning as he heaved Ella back from the edge of the break. Between the carriages, the levitation discs were visible in a blurred streak, several feet below.

Ella looked up as the front engine and first carriage pulled away.

Only to see Neerada running full pelt toward her, her lightsaber retracting as she left the carriage and jumped.

Ella moved her lightsaber toward the approaching figure, for a split second aware that she could easily run her through, aware that there was absolutely nothing this person could do to stop her.

Aware that her life was in her hands.

At the last moment she backed away and pulled her lightsaber up, holding it in both hands.

Neerada's leap fell short. Her feet missed the carriage and fell into empty space, but her hands lashed out, the lightsaber falling beneath the tram as she desperately grabbed hold of whatever she could to stop herself from falling backward into oblivion.

"Who are you?" Ella screamed. She held the lightsaber toward the Assayer's helm, so that only a slight push on her part would cut through the mask and whatever lay beyond. "What do you want with me?"

"I want to save your life," Neerada answered. "There is a point on the line ahead - we must get on that track or we will be destroyed."

Salpantor looked ahead and growled an affirmative. Ella stared too and saw a sign that indicated a junction, less than half a kilometre distant.

"A missile is locked onto Rastapewl," Neerada said urgently. "Even if we make the bend we might be in range of it."

Ella shared a look with Sal.

"Tell Lance," she said. "See if he can get us to change tracks from the rear cabin."

The wookie growled and sprinted away.

Ella didn't feel so confident now she didn't have the huge shape of Salpantor by her side. Even though her enemy couldn't move, she didn't feel at all safe.

Neerada reached forward and started to heave herself up.

"Stay where you are!" Ella snapped, twirling the lightsaber before her face. "Who are you people? Why do you keep hunting me?"

The Assayer didn't move again. Instead, Ella felt her eyes on her from behind the mask.

"What do you feel?" she asked. "Do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate anyone . . ." she shouted back, before realising how wrong she was. "I didn't use to hate anyone," she corrected. "Not until Sarn and Mahon came to Farsalt."

"Sarn. Mahon. Perdition. They are my enemies too."

"That doesn't make you anything to me!"

The Assayer reached up with her hand to the side of her helm, awkwardly holding her position. Ella watched intently as it fell open.

A woman's face stared back at her. She had a pale face with very dark auburn hair. Her green eyes focused on her, unblinking.

Ella felt a horrible sense of familiarity.

When Neerada spoke, she did so with a deep breath.

"That may not, just yet," she said. "But I have searched the galaxy for you for the last four years. Since I had the ability to do so."

"Why? Who are you?"

"All I know is that I am Assayer Neerada. But you, Princess Ella Malquet . . . you are my sister."

Ella shook her head.

"That's impossible," she shouted back. "The only sister I've ever had is Tayre."

"If you want to kill me, then do it. I cannot stop you. But you can't, can you? You know what I am saying is true! Trust your feelings!"

Ella's grip on the lightsaber slipped. She moved it away from Neerada's face.

Neerada reached up, her hand open.

"If we are to survive, we need to help each other. Now, for we don't have long left. Help me to save us both - as well as your friends. I need your strength."

"I . . ."

Ella took a deep breath.

Then she reached down and grabbed Neerada's hand.

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