The Prettiest Star - Star Wars - Kylo Ren

XXIX

Aya's heartbeat increased in a slow crescendo as she relentlessly sprinted through the foreign streets. Her breaths came in deep but short outbursts, pumping oxygen repeatedly into her lungs. She just needed to get out alive. Then she could think about what to do next.

Instinctively, she had run towards the crowds and now found herself sprinting through one of the thickest parts of Coruscant. Yet, despite the cover, she could feel numerous life-forms around her begin to close in on her. Through the colours of the crowds she could occasionally see the familiar white armour of a stormtrooper or the leather boots of a rebel.

In a sudden decision, she turned off from the street down a smaller walkway. It was darker and claustrophobic, appearing to close in on her as she ran. For a moment, it worked, and nobody followed after her. However after a few seconds she could hear footsteps erupt from behind her.

She was a few yards away from the turning at the end of the walkway when four figures clad in familiar white armour strolled around the corner. Aya skidded to a halt and instinctively ducked. As soon as she dropped to the ground, bolts started to fire over her head in their high-pitched screeches.

Panic soared through her veins but didn't get a grip on her body as she quickly rushed towards a door on the side. Using the force as a second pair of hands, she managed to prise it open and swing it aside, throwing herself through it before a bolt could hit her. She slammed it shut behind her and sprinted further into the building in one swift motion. Hopefully the stormtroopers and rebels would distract each other enough to give her some time.

She crashed through the restaurant, unaware of its startled inhabitants and into the back rooms. Just as she found a door to a stairway, she heard footsteps pound through the front of the building where she had just been. Not hesitating for a second, she flew up the grubby metal staircase. Her heart continued to hammer on however she wasn't yet out of breath. But she couldn't keep this up forever.

Unsure of where else to go, Aya continued to travel further up the building. Through theatres and clubs, across houses and bars. The building appeared to be endless, this was Coruscant after all. As she ran, the number of people in pursuit grew to worrying amounts. She could feel the heavy presence of Kylo Ren grow in her chest, the dull pain was beginning to become unbearable. Yet still she ran.

After countless levels of stairways, Aya threw herself through a sleek door that led out onto a landing. The wind instantly whipped the air out of her lungs and began to violently tug at her. She had climbed to the upper parts of the city that held more extreme conditions due to the altitude. Ignoring the air coldly scratching at her face, she walked quickly across the landing towards where a line of speeders were parked.

The planet was still held in the darkness of night meaning she was illuminated only by the lights of the vehicles whizzing past her and the large neon adverts to her side. Grimacing, she slipped into one of the speeders and squinted at the controls. The force guided her actions as she swiftly turned it on, causing it to erupt in light and noise. With a look of full concentration, she started the engines and began to lift off.

Just as she slipped away from the landing, a group of people burst out of the doorway. Aya instantly accelerated and flew away from the building. Just as she had done before, she went straight towards the crowded parts of the sky, joining one of the main highways available.

She didn't move, she didn't even blink, as she swerved among the mass of glowing vehicles. The speed at which she was driving would be incredibly dangerous for any normal citizen of Coruscant. However, Aya slowed everything down. With deep breaths that radiated in her ears like white noise, obscuring the hellish volumes about her, she slowed her heartbeat down to its normal pace. Aside from the movement of her wrists dangerously controlling the vehicle, she could have been a statue. The world around her slowed. It was doused in an ocean of water. She was barely in her body any more.