Traitors To The Heart

Chapter 14: Nothing Lasts Forever

"May the... what? Is that just, what, like a saying? W—What does the force have to do with this?" Nova questioned. Lyra was facing bigger problems as something started beeping at her. The lights inside the ship cut off so only Bespin's sunset illuminated the cockpit and beyond, then suddenly when the alarm ceased. It was uncomfortably silent for too many seconds.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Hunter muttered to Crosshair nearby, just in time to have the ship start an aggressive free fall.

"You had to say it." Crosshair grunted as he got knocked around. Lyra wildly flicked any and all switches within her reach. Wrecker made a gut wrenching gagging noise as he quickly scooped his hands up over his mouth.

"Please inform me you did not just..." Wrecker shook his head to the side and gave an unconvincing thumbs up, but Tech was hardly convinced.

"The auxiliary power lever!" Lyra tried to make her arm stay still to point to it. Lyra reached out with the force, but no such luck. It was an undependable tool for her. One that didn't work more often than it did. Hunter and Crosshair knew what she was attempting to do because they saw the same concentrated look on Nova's face during her training. Yet, Lyra was unsuccessful. Again, more to think about for him.

Crosshair narrowed his eyes. While her arm was completely outstretched the smallest corner of a black marking could be seen on her vibrant blue skin. He didn't need to see the whole tattoo hanging out to instantly recognize what it was based off his previous knowledge of Nova's tattoo in the same spot. They were both Separatists, or traitors.

"I got it!" Nova reached out with the force. She could feel the fear from the people behind her, but most of all what was strongest was Lyra's desperate struggle and years worth of anger pent up about her lack of ability to wield the force. It almost made Nova feel bad about how easy it came to her. She simply felt for her surroundings, and motioned downwards toward the lever Lyra pointed to. A red light came on as the emergency power booted up.

"Yes! Nova, you did it!" Crosshair's eyes widened, he was fully expecting them to let the ship free fall and have them jump out at the last second. Lyra didn't stay chipper for long before turning serious once more and pulling up as far as she possibly could.

"All right Hunter, whose my partner?" Lyra asked. A dreading feeling buried itself in her heart. She had a bad feeling as to who it would be.

"Crosshair, your look out. Lyra will be your guide. Stay with each other." Hunter warned them. He just knew how thrilled his all his brothers would be about the pairing. All three of them shared the same deep frown, for their own varying reasons.

"Don't do anything to get us court-martialed. Again." The Sergeant stressed to his little brother. Crosshair ran a hand through his grey locks, not bothering to hide his smug attitude. Hunter knew it was a risk letting his youngest brother go alone with a girl he obviously hated for some odd reason.

"And especially nothing that will get us thrown in the brig. Again." Crosshair snickered, automatically looking to Wrecker.

"What!? That was one time. And it was a really cool armory! Back me up, Cross!" Wrecker threw his pillow at Crosshair's face. The sniper deflected it before smirking at Hunter.

"You would've done the same." He said. Lyra noted to herself to ask for that tantalizing tale later when she wasn't struggling to keep them all alive. After the emergency power was activated, most of the problems were solved except one.

"Hey, Tech, was it?" Lyra called him over. It was almost alarming how quickly he jumped out of his seat after hearing her call for him.

"Yes?"