The Runaway {Hunter} (WATTYS 2022)

Chapter 40

Hunter and Cora made it safely back to the ship, Wrecker and Echo waited outside in the shipyard. Hunter basically helping Cora walk.

"What happened?" Wrecker asked as Hunter climbed the steps with Cora.

"The bastard drugged me." Cora said as Hunter sat her down in one of the chairs.

Tech started the ship as Echo scanned Cora. Omega joined them, looking to Cora with concern. "I'm alright kid." She assured her.

"It's just a relaxant." Echo sighed. "It should wear off soon."

"It didn't go as planned." Hunter said taking off his helmet.

"But I got the crystal." Cora said pulling it up in view of everyone.

Echo leaned closer and looked at it. "That's a kyber crystal."

"What's that?" Wrecker asked, "It just looks like a rock."

"A kyber crystal is what makes a lightsaber." Tech said joining them.

"Like a battery?" Omega asked.

"Not exactly." Tech said looking at it. "I've never been able to study one before, so I am unsure."

"Either way," Hunter said sitting down in front of Cora, "we got it. Let's just get back to Cid."

Cora handed the box to Tech. Echo went back towards the front to pilot the ship as Tech studied the crystal. Cora leaned back as her body felt a little better. She was tired then ever before, her body had become too weak.

"You need to sleep." Hunter said.

Cora opened her eyes, looking up at the ceiling. "I know." She said softly.

She didn't want to sleep. The nightmares she had, the things her dreams showed and played over and over, it was too much. The guys were always on her case about getting some sleep, but she just couldn't handle the nightmares anymore. She didn't sleep.

Looking towards Hunter, she saw that he had joined Omega across the room. She looked to Tech who had opened the box and taken it out, inspecting the kyber crystal. Cora looked to the crystal, her eyes fixed on it. She pulled every last strength she had and moved closer to Tech and the crystal. Tech glanced to her as he lay it back in its box.

"I've never seen one in the flesh." Cora said.

"Nor have I." Tech said turning to her, "I wonder how they create the energy to create the vibrant colours of the lightsaber."

Cora hummed, leaning on the wall, "It's said the force chooses. It's a very sacred ritual to the Jedi."

Cora looked back down to the crystal, she felt it pull to her. Picking it up, she felt the hard edges on the small crystal as she looked down into it. It was clear, no colour to its rough exterior. She looked closer as she felt drawn to it. For a moment she felt nothing, then something. The crystal began to glow, lifting from her hand. It moved to the middle of the ship, causing Cora to move towards to. It glowed bright in front of her eyes as it floated in front of her. Suddenly it popped into a million tiny pieces, flowing around her. Her eyes fixed on the crystals pieces as it moved around her. She reached forward and touched one of the pieces. Suddenly they all moved back into place and formed its full form again. It glowed a bright white and then fell to the ground, clanking as it hit the metal.

Cora looked down to the now white crystal. Her eyes fixed to the guys around the room who had joined to see what was happening. All their mouths hung open as she looked at them in shock.

"Woah." Omega gasped next to Hunter.

"Fascinating." Tech said pushing up his glasses.

"I-I don't, I-I..." Cora stumbled back.