All the Stars

Chapter One

At first, there was nothing. No sight, sound or self. And then, gradually, a vague feeling of buoyancy, of floating to the surface of a warm, black sea. At the periphery, there was a soft buzzing that was oddly comforting.

Eventually, though, the buzzing grew louder, resolving into the sounds of machines at work, and voices.

"General Syndulla. Can you hear me?"

This voice, speaking close to her ear, brought Hera abruptly, shockingly back to herself. Her wide, frantic eyes searched her location and the face just within her line of sight; she was in a med bay, and the woman's face was one she didn't recognize. The woman, presumably a member of the medical staff, took quick note of Hera's anxious expression. "You're aboard the medical frigate Epione, General," she murmured in a soothing tone. "Your ship suffered a critical hit and you crashed on Jakku. You have serious internal injuries and broken bones, so you must try to lie still."

Hera took stock of what she recalled about the information she'd just been given. There had been a shuddering blast, she remembered, followed by blaring klaxons and Chopper's garbled warnings. She'd seen the sands of Jakku rushing up, too fast, much too fast. There hadn't been enough time. She remembered the sound of her own voice: Brace for impact!

Her beloved ship had slammed into the sand, convulsing and breaking apart around her; her mind replayed all the horrifying noises it had made. There had been pain- too much pain. And above it all, she distinctly remembered the shock of hearing Kanan's voice calling her name.

Then, nothing.

Nothing, until now- and now, suddenly, she felt everything. Her body came back to her as searing, stabbing, agonizing pain.

Hera screamed, the sound tearing at her throat as it ripped out of her. Every muscle in her body clenched, setting fire to her nerves. Almost immediately, she was immobilized by some unseen force, likely to keep her from doing more damage to herself.

The unfamiliar face above her disappeared. A moment later, she heard the woman's soft voice again: "Something for the pain." Hera felt a cold flush in one arm as the medicine was injected.

Several long, terrible seconds passed, and then the torment finally began to abate.

Hera could hear a steady pounding inside her skull, and just beyond that, people talking in hushed tones. She could only catch bits and pieces of what they said:

"...lucky to be alive. The droid saved her..."

"We're prepping the bacta tank now that she's more stable..."

"...could be months of recovery and physical therapy..."

As the analgesic took hold, she began to drift in and out of consciousness. She listened to the voices, but remained detached from what they were saying- until something caught her full attention.

"She kept mentioning someone named Kanan. Is that someone we can contact?"

Now she finally heard a voice she recognized- Zeb's. Relief washed over her, but only for a moment.

"No." Zeb's voice was rough. "Not unless you can contact someone who's been dead for years."

The pain that pierced through Hera at Zeb's words was, in many ways, far worse than the physical trauma. There were no painkillers, no bacta tanks, that could ever relieve it. The dull ache in her heart would be there as long as she breathed.

For just one brief moment, Hera wished that she had broken apart along with her ship. She wished Chopper had not saved her. She was so tired; tired of fighting, tired of missing him. Tired of pain, and sleepless nights, and unshed tears.