Star Wars: Heir to the Sith (Part 3)

Chapter 03: "It's a Martyr class ship. The Jyn Erso."

Ella stared through the cockpit of the Nova and wished something would happen. The faint pin pricks of far off stars failed to inspire any interest in her, and no thought of the worlds around them and their peoples could spark any motivation inside of her.

She shifted her weight on the seat to alleviate her numb leg and felt the press of Neerada's data card press into her flesh again. She had analysed it back on the mining station, making sure to do so in secret as the Alliance had gathered their ships.

And what Neerada said had been true.

They were sisters.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Chip, who checked the communications and sensor readouts behind her chair. Behind him stood one of the three newcomers to the Nova, Alliance personnel who had transferred aboard on Lance's request. They each seemed highly competent in their own way, and yet Ella couldn't shake the feeling that she was being sidelined.

"Are you nervous, Chip?" she asked quietly. "I am."

The cyborg continued to work, testing the circuits with diligence.

"I am too," he answered. "Even though my emotional state is suppressed by my implants, the thought of a battle on this scale is indeed nerve-racking. But I find that if I keep myself busy then those darker thoughts are less inclined to take over."

He finished his duties and the readouts gave a satisfactory electronic squeal of acknowledgement. Only then did he turn to her.

"Perhaps you should go and get properly attired? Lance is insistent that all the crew wear vacuum overalls in case of a hull breach."

She did as he instructed and found Lance, already suited in the tight fitting vacuum overalls, checking the backup hyperdrive for any damage.

"We couldn't repair at Syreal," he told her. "We didn't have time." He gave her a dark look. "So if we need to make a quick exit, we could be in trouble."

"What can I do?" Ella asked. "I need to do something!"

"Sal and I are going to be flying her," he told her. "Chip will be on sensors and comms. Cor will be on the engineering console channelling power to where we need it most. You and Hal will be in the lounge with her. There's an old battle display unit we've hooked up so you will be able to watch what's going on–"

"What? Hang on, what about the turret? Who is manning the guns?"

Lance gave her a stern look. "Sure as hell not you, Princess," he said. "It's far too dangerous. And not Hal either. Not after last time. Birch will do it."

Birch was one of the three Alliance members who had transferred aboard at the mining station.

"So me and Hal just have to strap ourselves in and watch?"

"Yep. I'm not going to argue over this Ella. I'm not in the mood. Everything I own is about to be thrown into battle on the word of an Assayer through relationships I don't understand. I need to be sure I can give her the best." He stroked the ceiling of the Nova with affection. "Besides, I don't plan to be doing much fighting. The Nova isn't a war fighting vessel. She's fast and lightly armed, or she is when a hyperspace coil hasn't been dislodged."

"So what will we be doing? Counting stardust?"

"Not too far off, Princess. We'll patch the Nova's sensors into the rebel fleet commander to give them a better information and cover the starboard wing of the battle. As a smuggling vessel, our eyes and ears are more advanced than most ships." He gave her a wink that somehow seemed to require effort. "It allows us to identify gaps in patrols and sensor sweeps when we're trying to get onto a planet quietly."

Sal called to them from the cockpit passageway.

"Ah," Lance said, leading the way. "It appears Ruskin's little scout is back. Are the Reaver and Awakening still on station?"

Chip gave a nod. "They are. Both waiting. There was no sign that the scout's sensor sweep was detected by the Imperials."

"I don't feel safe going into battle with Ruskin and his group," Ella said.

"Me neither," Lance admitted. "Which is why his lot are covering the port wing of the battle." He leaned forward to the controls and gave the Nova a nudge of power, turning the cockpit to view a parallel line of ships a half mile distance. Lance pointed to the biggest of the vessels present, an Imperial corvette with a pockmarked hull. "That's Ruskin's main ship, but he'll be in his yacht somewhere behind."

Ella looked at Ruskin's wing. She counted at least twenty-three separate vessels, from cargo haulers to armoured tugs and several individual star fighters. Behind the Nova, she knew there was a similar number of equally diverse craft, waiting for orders to jump. And overhead waited another two dozen rebel craft, who would jump in two minutes after the battle had started, aiming to take advantage of the enemy as they re-ordered their line of battle to deal with the Alliance surprise.

But even with one surprise followed up by another, Ella wasn't sure if such a fleet would be up to it.

"I wish we had at least one capital ship," she muttered.

Lance gave her a knowing smile. "We might yet," he said. "Lady Valois changed her plans after she heard about the Imperial installation in Taneeth - she promised to send what she could."

A sensor sounded and a bubble of chatter erupted on coded frequencies.

"A capital ship has just come out of hyperspace," Chip confirmed. "It's a Martyr class."

"One of ours then," Lance grinned. "Identify it, Chip."

He turned the Nova in the direction of the newcomer as Chip demanded an identification. It was a third the length of a Star Destroyer, with ten heavy turbo lasers and a missile battery on its topside. Below the curved top, the engines and shield generators lay protected under the rounded carapace, with only four light turrets to protect it from enemy fighters. Ella was reminded of a defensive animal on Farsalt that had a range of spikes on its back and that would curl into a ball when threatened.

"That'll be useful," Lance said. "It has a small surface area to fire from, but that means its bursts are highly concentrated. Likewise, the small area is overlaid with surprisingly powerful shields, with the generators all located below. Everything useful on one side. Has it identified itself yet Chip?"

The cyborg nodded.

"It's the Jyn Erso," he said. "And Lady Valois herself is aboard." The sensor beeped again. "More craft coming out of hyperspace," he added. "Three X-Wings and a B-Wing."

Ella craned her head to see the famed Alliance fighters as they fell into position escorting the capital ship, their white wings parting as their S-Foils assumed an attack position, their pilots testing their systems after the hyperspace journey.

Suddenly, things seemed more hopeful.

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