Azula Amongst the Stars

Chapter 3

"Hull breach! Deck seven!" a bridge officer announced as an explosion rocked the ship from side to side.
"What happened to the shields?" My'Rell demanded as another explosion rocked the vessel.
"Offline! Again!" Commander Shaul answered, "The shield generator still hasn't been properly repaired!"
"Have we located that ship?"
"Enemy vessel located! Putting it on screen now!" a bridge officer sent an image to the main holographic screen of a large bulbous green vessel covered in cannons drifting between the planet and the moon miles away from the SeCore. A screaming red skull painted proudly on its port side.
My'Rell recognized this vessel anywhere. SkyBurner, the Death's Head mercenary group's prized flagship. The Crimson Storm has fought the Death's Head before in petty squabbles over clients and territory but it had never escalated into a full scale battle between capital ships.
The volley of explosions stopped as suddenly as they happened.
"They're hailing us, captain!" the helmsman announced.
"On screen. Let's see what these bastards want. Get that shield generator back online, start charging the Laz gun and have all weapons ready to fire!"
My'Rell readjusted herself making herself look as dignified as possible as the image of the SkyBurner was replaced by a video feed of a hunched over creature covered in slimy green skin, a long head with four red eyes, a chin covered in tendrils, dressed in a dark green uniform and seated in a captains chair of its own.
"Captain My'Rell." The creature croaked out, his gravelly voice dripping with contempt for the person he addressed.
"Captain Duratix. Is there a reason why you're firing on my ship? I know we've never gotten along but I hardly think this is any way to behave."
"The Death's Head is just giving payback for the lives lost on Pavalen-five."
My'Rell narrowed her eyes, "My condolences Duratix, but we were on a job that day and your client at the time was causing trouble for ours. I can't help if your men were caught in the crossfire. You know how mercenary work is."
The leader of the Death's Head sneered, his four nostrils flaring, "I am aware."
Commander Shaul approached the captain and discreetly informed her that weapons were back online, "So is that what this is? Revenge? And here I thought you were just a shrewd businessman who didn't let emotions get in the way."
Duratix let out a croaking laugh, "Oh but I am a businessman. The whole reason I am even speaking to you now is to conduct a trade."
"Trade?" My'Rell was slightly taken aback by this but decided to hear him out, only to stall for time for the shield generator to come back on, "What do you have in mind?"
Duratix leaned back, stroking his tendrils with a three clawed hand, "You have something that our current client wants, the fabricator. Give it to me and I will spare your ship."
My'Rell was shocked that he knew she was in possession of such a rare piece of equipment. They had only just recently acquired it after raiding a pirate hideout and taking it for the storm. Now she was wondering how the Death's Head got word of it.
"I don't know what you are talking about. You think I'd be working as a mercenary if I had one of those?"
"Don't play dumb with me My'Rell, we know you have it. We were scouting that pirate hideout for weeks to take that fabricator for our client."
That explains that then, My'Rell saw no reason to keep up the lie now, "Well Duratix, all I can say is that you should have gotten to it first. The Crimson Storm isn't going to surrender anything to you."
Duratix laughed at her defiance, "I was hoping you'd say that, after all I never had any intention of sparing your ship and crew. After all, the client is paying double for your head."
With the knowledge that Duratix so carelessly revealed in his hubris My'Rell went through a mental list of the various individuals and organizations that want her and her crew dead but decided that that was best left for a different time. Now she had to focus on the immediate threat.
"Reroute power to shields and fire all batteries!" She commanded.

Azula sat on the bed in a meditative posture breathing in and out steadily trying to regain the strength of her inner flame, however it still felt just as weak now as it did before, but the constant rocking and sounds of explosions emanating from the walls made focusing difficult. Lectro paced about outside of her cell typing away at his tablet.
Azula didn't know if his device was capable of telling him what was going on or if he was just taping away to keep his mind occupied. Either way it was contributing to her annoyance.
"Can you stop pacing? It's distracting."
Lectro halted in his tracks, taken by surprise by her sudden comment, "What?! Oh sorry. I always do that when a battle happens. Not really a soldier so I would much rather be in the lab now but I'd rather not leave you alone here."
"How touching." The sarcasm in her voice was not lost on him.
Azula knew he wasn't staying because of some moral obligation, only to be sure his latest science experiment didn't get loose and wander off.
She could wonder about this later as another explosion rocked her cell, "I take it the pirates that made your ship crash are back."
Lectro grabbed hold of the wall to stabilize himself, "Looks like it, and it seems they have more firepower this time around."
"This ship will be able to withstand their assault, right?" Azula asked, wanting confirmation that she wasn't trapped on a sinking boat.
"Of course! She may be old but the SeCore is the toughest warship around. She's walked away from worse." He reassured her with confidence that was soon dashed away after a loud crash was heard that threw them both to the floor.