Last Shot - A Star Wars Story

Chapter 9

Cora Tonra

All Cora could feel was pain. When she finally came to after fighting with Kaia against Kylo Ren, she could barely move, and her back felt as if someone had set it on fire and left it to burn. It was agony to lay there, helpless, but she couldn't work up the strength to push herself to her feet.

Sparks shot out from somewhere above her, coming dangerously close to her face as they fell, and she winced. This is not good, she thought to herself grimly. How am I going to get out of this one?

As if to answer her question, she suddenly heard the sound of metal being fiddled with, and a few seconds later, she saw a pair of feet drop onto the ground from what she assumed was a ventilation pipe.

"It's a good thing I found you," Kelsa remarked, and Cora felt herself being lifted up by the arms.

"Thanks," she gasped as Kelsa hoisted one of her arms over her shoulder to support her, seeing as Cora couldn't stand on her own.

"What happened?" Kelsa demanded as they moved slowly down the hall.

"Kylo Ren," Cora responded. "Kaia and I were fighting him, and he sliced me in the back."

"Well I figured that part out," Kelsa snorted. "So do you know what happened to Kaia?"

Cora shook her head, which took a surprising amount of effort in her state. "No. Last I saw of her, she was still fighting Ren."

"Great," Kelsa grumbled. "Then that probably means she was the one who stole the TIE fighter with Ersela."

"Wait, what?" Cora exclaimed. "Stole a TIE? Why would they do that?" She paused for a moment, then sighed. "No that's definitely something Kaia would do."

"I think they're going to try to contact the Resistance," Kelsa told her. "And then hopefully we can get off this ship." She glanced at Cora with a look of concern. "You need medical attention as soon as possible."

"Wow, really?" Cora muttered. "I couldn't tell." She winced as a sharp pain, more intense than the throbbing, shot through her back. Kelsa's grip on her tightened as Cora stumbled. "But how are we going to last that long? Also, where is Lyra?"

"About that," Kelsa began awkwardly. "Lyra kind of got...captured."

"What?" Cora cried, perhaps a little too loudly. She lowered her voice as she continued, "So now we have to save her too?"

"Yeah," Kelsa responded, sounding exasperated herself. "But I'm sure we'll think of something."

"I sure hope so," Cora remarked. "I've heard stories of what happens to prisoners here from Kaia. It's not pretty."

"All the more reason to hurry," Kelsa pointed out. There was the sound of footsteps marching towards them, and Cora felt a rush of panic shoot through her, which Kelsa's face mirrored, before being masked by determination. "I want to get off this ship as soon as possible."

"I assume you have a plan?" Cora asked as the footsteps faded.

"Kind of," Kelsa replied, shrugging a little despite Cora's weight on her shoulders. "I was thinking that we could use the ventilation to get in."

"That sounds a little too easy," Cora observed. "But I guess it's worth a try."

"Good." Kelsa eased her against the wall and leaned down, sliding the grate to the ventilation aside. "Because I don't have any other ideas. Now get in."

Cora obeyed, slowly getting down into a crawling position and inching into the duct. Kelsa followed close behind her, carefully putting the grate back into place before turning towards Cora, which was hard to do in such a narrow space.