Star Wars: Rebellion and Betrayal

Chapter 22

A couple more seconds passed before he could hear grumbled beeps over the comm channel.

The group retraced their way back toward the hangar. Abie was first through the door with the others close behind, sealing the door behind them.

Abie froze as she noticed the dozens of stormtroopers waiting in the hangar. One stormtrooper in the front, sported an orange pauldron on his shoulder. "Surrender at once or be destroyed," the trooper ordered.

Abie glanced around the hangar, evaluating their options. The shuttle they had arrived on was off to the right, with two stormtroopers in front of it. They matched the physique of Jordavi and Tertrev. The two were aiming their blasters at the team in an attempt to blend in.

Before Abie could decide what to do, laser cannon fire came flying in from the underside hangar entrance. The blasts crashed into multiple TIE fighters suspended from the ceiling. The pieces of shrapnel came raining down on top of the stormtroopers.

"Now is our chance! Go!" Abie yelled as she opened fire. Jordavi and Tertrev each ripped off their helmets and did the same, picking off the panicked stormtroopers. The hangar was alit with explosions and blaster fire as more shots came flying in from the underside of the ship.

Amid the chaos, Twitch was running to the shuttle, trying to get Nina to safety.

The number of stormtroopers in the hangar was falling fast. Between the shrapnel falling from the ceiling and fire from two disguised stormtroopers, the group was taking heavy losses.

Twitch was first to make it aboard the shuttle. Seconds later, Jordavi and Tertrev were diving into the pilot's chairs to power up the shuttle. Rhodes and Abie remained on the ramp with Rhodes blocking any incoming fire and Abie picking off the remaining troopers. "Get us out of here!" Abie yelled as she finally entered the shuttle.

As the shuttle lifted into the air, Rhodes closed the ramp. "Hunter, we are in the Lambda-class shuttle leaving the lower hangar. Shift your focus to the destroyer's turbolasers." The droid was quick to confirm the orders as they saw the small freighter pass beneath the ship, the bubble turret spewing random lasers at the ship's underside.

"How's Nina doing?" Rhodes asked once in the main passenger compartment.

Abie looked up with clear concern on her face. "It's not good. She is unconscious, probably from the shock. We need to get her to the Insurgent's medical bay as soon as we can."

Abie's eyes went wide as if realizing something. She snatched at her commlink and turned it on. "Oster! Do you copy?"

The gruff voice of the Bothan was quick to reply. "Yes, Lady Edge. Everyone has returned from the recruitment mission which was a great success."

"Never mind that! McCart was working with the Empire. They know where our ships are. Get the Insurgent and Iron Stump into space and make for the rally point. We will meet you once you get into space."

"Yes, Lady Edge," Oster confirmed as the connection went to static.

"They call you Lady Edge?" A voice asked over the commchannel. "How touching."

"Admiral Rod," Abie muttered as the shuttle slipped out of the hangar.

"I commend your ability to escape and the strategic decision not to attempt a foolhardy rescue. Tell Charles Rhodes that I will see him soon enough. Until next time, Lady Edge."

The channel went silent. Rhodes was glaring at the commlink in Abie's hand. "She won't stop until I am dead."

Abie shook her head. "She won't stop until we are all dead. And it's a shame that won't happen anytime soon."