Star Wars: Heir to the Sith (Part 3)

Chapter 44: "He is so good, so generous of spirit."

Ella sat at Lance's bedside aboard the Jyn Erso. The medical bay was filled with other beings. Opposite Lance's bed lay a sedated Ithorian with half her face burned away. Nearby an alien she didn't recognise gave a spasm and then lay still, spurring the medical droid to begin a resuscitation.

She watched the procedure for two minutes when the droid suddenly halted and moved itself into an upright position.

"Have the orderlies clear the bed," it instructed. "We'll need it."

Without another word the droid moved on to the next casualty.

Death had become simple and commonplace, she realised. Its scent had become so familiar that it was no longer offensive.

As the human orderlies moved forward to clear the alien's body from the bed, a small holo projector slid from its hand and fell to the floor. Ella retrieved it from the between the feet of the orderlies and held it, somehow finding it precious.

She felt the tears come. Now the fighting was done, now the danger was gone, there was nothing to stop her from thinking about all she had experienced.

"Highness?" Lance mumbled through a drowsy smile. "You're okay?"

"I hate this," she whispered. "All of it. What's it for?"

Lance reached up and put his hand on her arm but didn't speak.

"I'm going back to Farsalt, Lance," she said. "Lady Valois wanted me to go with her, to the Alliance, but my people need me more."

"Then take the Nova. Take Sal and Cor too." He smiled. "Hell, definitely take Chip. I don't think I could survive his bedside manner. I'll come back when I'm better. Remember, Farsalt was our responsibility with the alliance. We all want to help."

"Thank you."

A growl from the doorway told them that Sal agreed.

"Don't get sentimental, Sal," Lance said with a crooked smile. "A dip or two in bacta and I'll be wrestling you to the floor again. Where are Cor and Chip anyhow?"

"On the Nova," Ella answered. "Cor broke her arm after being stunned. Chip's unharmed. They're checking to see if the ship's fit to make the trip to Farsalt."

"The Corvian species have weak bones," Lance noted. "But she should be fine. Tell them both I'm keeping my eye on them." The wookie came forward and bent double to embrace Lance in a parting hug. "And you too, Sal. I'm always looking out for you."

The wookie finally relented and stepped away from the bunk. Ella put her hand in Lance's for a final goodbye, but he held it still.

"Ella. You know what you are capable of now. You've seen the power you can possess and you've felt the seduction of its darker side. You have to realise that emotions such as anger, pain, fear and jealousy, everything that brings out the worse in all of us, they are the way to darkness. Such a path is quicker. It is more satisfying. But it is also corrosive. It promises false answers."

"There is so much pain in the galaxy Lance. I cannot be immune from it, though I wish I could. And that makes me afraid. And angry. I can't pretend otherwise any more."

"The Church of the Force used to teach us that it is natural to feel such emotions at times," said Lance. "But we all need to be reminded that that is not a permanent state of being. No individual can exist in fear forever. Nor can they always be angry." He winced as he tried to sit up. "And pain passes. Eventually."

"Tell that to those in the camps on Farsalt, Lance. Or those on the Assassin right now."

"Ella, you of all people need to know that you have to be better than the darkness. You've seen what it can drive people to do. When people fall, when their spirit fails, that is when you fail to value others. You see yourself as a failure, and you think that everyone else should be treated the same. And those emotions will contaminate you. Destroy you. You have to be better. You are better!"