Not How Your Stories End

Chapter 10

TW for seizures and just overall being really, really freaking sick.  

Hera sat back in the pilot's seat, going over the information from Sabine for what had to be the hundredth time since she'd received it. Sabine was right about their window of opportunity being small - almost miniscule, but Hera knew that if any ship had a chance to get through, it was hers.

Deciding that there was nothing more that she could glean from the message, Hera shut off the holo and leaned back in her chair. It wasn't long before she found herself yawning and rubbing the fatigue from her eyes. It had been a long past few days. Hell, it had been a long past few months. But she supposed that it was to be expected, given the circumstances. This was how life had been ever since she was a little girl. Thrawn was right about one thing that during that one mission back on Ryloth: war was all she'd ever known. And thinking back on it all, Hera couldn't remember having a truly restful night's sleep since her early childhood - back in those precious few years she in which she lived blissfully unaware of the atrocities and death that surrounded her and her people. Back when she was unaware and didn't feel absolutely compelled to fight back against the tyranny that enveloped their existences. Before she lived her life fighting in the hopes that one day she and those she loved would know what peace felt like. Living in the hope that one day, they wouldn't have to sneak through a military blockade in the wee hours of the morning just to get medical care for a sick kid. Ever since she had become aware, every second of every night was full of nightmares and anxiety, being constantly on edge and ready to jump up in a minute's notice. A good night's sleep was a luxury she simply couldn't afford when they lived under the constant threat of attack. No, when you dedicate your life to fighting back, to fighting for hope, sleep just wasn't in the cards.

Hera was ripped from her thoughts by the slight jolt of The Ghost that signified that they had come out of hyperspace. Given their trajectory, she supposed that they were now sitting just outside of Mandalore's orbital range. It was now or never. Hera took a deep breath and gripped the controls of the Ghost with an anxious vigor. The familiar curve of the handles gave her a surge of confidence like no other. It was refreshing, given the circumstances.

Looking around, Hera noted the various landmarks Sabine had given to ensure their proper placement. Everything seemed right so far, and no Imperials seemed to be able to detect their presence. Now all there was to do was wait. Powering down as many systems as possible to keep them off the radars, Hera cautiously shifted the Ghost into idle, the ferocious roaring of her engines quieting into a gentle purr. Hopefully they would be safe there until their opportunity to move in arose.

For the next few, pain-staking minutes, she watched from a distance as the patrol ships lazily passed. One after another, the moved to dock and launch with a practiced ease that came with every Imperial operation. It was always so predictably perfect. Therein lay their weakness. She studied them with a calculated vigilance, taking note of any and every irregularity or blind spot she could use to their advantage if needed.

The seconds wore down, until, finally, the sweet spot that Sabine had promised was revealed. As the patrolling TIES disbursed to change guard, their blind spots aligned for mere seconds. Perhaps this was the Empire getting sloppy. She certainly wouldn't put it past them to think themselves so indestructible that they would overlook such a blindspot, believing that no one would be bold or intelligent enough to notice. Or perhaps it was a sign of poor leadership in this sector. Either way, they had severely underestimated her and her crew, and getting through was almost too easy.

Hera took a deep breath, then activated the accelerator. The shift between stationary and speed was sudden and smooth as The Ghost burst forwards with a momentum that pushed her back against her seat. She kept her hands planted firmly on the controls, her eyes refusing to move anywhere but forwards. Moving faster than she possibly ever had before, she maneuvered through the slim window of opportunity that they had been gifted and headed towards the planet's surface, looking back only to ensure that no Imperials had caught on to their trail.