The First Mission

The floor shook as Ava paced down the halls of the ship, boots clicking against the tile, arms crossed against her chest. Her cape swirled out behind her, and her lightsaber was at her side, although she most likely wouldn’t be required to fight on this mission.

She reached the control room, pulling open the door and rushing over to the computer, the screens glowing with faint blue light.

“Andromeda,” Ava said, sliding into her chair and grabbing a coffee cup near it. She took a quick sip. The computers unlocked at the sound of the password, and she glanced around the windows of the darkened room, sliding the headset over her ears.

Sliding her fingers around the keyboard, cool against her palms, she swiftly pulled up a map of the battle raging around her, ships represented by blinking blues and purples.

There were lots of smaller ships swirling around, but the main attacker was an Imperial-class Star Destroyer, the dagger-shaped battleship used by the Empire, and it was approaching rapidly.

Surveying her troops, Ava’s mind swiftly fit the possible plans of actions into two categories- she could distract the Empire with smaller ships while sending spies inside to self-destruct the Destroyer, or she could merely launch a powerful attack on the battleship and hope to destroy.

Spies, Ava decided. Fewer rebels get hurt that way.

She immediately hooked up communications and sent three spies into the ship’s bay, distracting everyone with a barrage on the left wing.

“Keep distracting them,” she called into the mic, looking up at the screen to switch communications from the head fighter, a clone trooper named Nova, to the one of the spies.

“Exiting the bay now,” came the familiar voice, muttered so no one could overhear it. “Heading towards the main control center- it’ll be guarded.”

“Do you have a flash grenade with you?” Ava asked, leaning back in her chair and adjusting her headset. “Set it off. They’ll be momentarily stunned- enough time for you to run in, hit the button, and run out. We have a map of the place; the corridors are twisted and confusing. They’ll need to override the system; chances are they won’t bother chasing you down. Then-”

Ava was interrupted by a crackle on the headset. Irritably, she bent over the screen to see what was wrong.

“Ava, we need your help,” came a voice.

“Not right now,” Ava mumbled, fingers scurrying across the keypad to send the spies the Destroyer’s blueprints.

“Ava,” the voice came again, more nervous this time.

“Not right now,” Ava repeated through clenched teeth. The spies were just about to enter the control room, she had to send them the last minute instructions…

“Ava!” The voice yelled, and Ava jerked her head up in time to see three more Destroyers arriving at the scene, rapidly firing at her troops.

Ava blanched. She’d been so busy with the spies, she’d forgotten to check the map. A quick glance told her that her own ship was under fire.

“Retreat,” she ordered, calm as she could manage. “Everyone, do you hear me? Get out of there. We need to get to the base on Hoth. Go! Go now!”

She cut off communications and yelled for the pilot. “Get us out of here,” she told him, breathing heavily. “Get us to Hoth as quickly as you can.”

He nodded, and soon they were speeding off at light speed.

“What were you thinking?” Nova yelled as he came in through the doors, throwing his helmet viciously to the side. “You could’ve gotten us killed! My brothers died today, because of your carelessness!”

Nova glared at him, her face growing hot as she strode over, hands on her hips. “I was attempting to fix the main problem-”

“The main problem is that my people were dying,” Nova growled, grabbing her by the throat.

Ava said nothing, just shot an uppercut to his jaw. Gasping, Nova dropped her, throwing her to the ground. Ava was up in a second, in a fighting stance.

“Get up and tell me something I don’t know,” she hissed, grabbing his arm and jerking him up. “Get up. I dare you.”

Nova glared at her, neither of them willing to look away, and spun a kick into her side. Ava hissed, and was about to launch herself at the clone trooper when she was suddenly grabbed from behind.

“Let go of me,” she ordered, straightening. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“No, you don’t,” the Jedi behind her said calmly. There was a tiny stab of pain by her neck, and then her eyes fluttered closed.

----

The ship was gradually repaired, and she and Nova settled in for a tense flight back to Kamino. They’d see each other by the coffee machines, and he’d stiffen and leave before she could say anything.

“You’re supposed to be guarding me,” she called to him once as he turned to walk away. “You’re not doing a very good job of that.”

“You can defend yourself,” he retorted, stopping by the doors and turning around to face her. “You’re strong.”

“How’d I get these bruises on my neck, then?” She asked patiently, moving aside her hair to show the purple splotches to Nova, who inhaled sharply, winced, and looked away.

Ava shrugged and walked over to him. “They’re not a big deal,” she said shortly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Now. How about you tell me what I should’ve done instead, and we can get you back to your job?”

Nova exhaled deeply, nodding. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Ava told him as she began to walk away.

Nova snorted, waving a hand in the air. “Yes, it is.”

Nova paused. “Soon, you’ll learn that the overseer is always right.”

She didn’t turn around, and after that, she walked away, but there was a hint of humor underneath her voice, and Nova got the sense that all was forgiven.

“I’ll report to my guarding position within the hour,” he called to her, craning his neck to see her around the corner of the hallway.

At first, there was no response. Then: “See that you do.”

Nova shook his head and grabbed himself some coffee. Ava was truly something else.