The sky was filled with crisscrossing ships shooting destructive beams, aiming for turrets and ground troops.

Through this chaos, men and women ran. Three were joined by others who, like them, had infiltrated the base. After completing their respective tasks, they now converged with a singular purpose, shooting down any soldier who tried to come in their way.

One of the rebel ships landed in front of them.

Peter looked over his shoulder at the media building. Journalists were flowing out to capture the action. Some had noticed him and were yelling and waving in his direction.

He waved back for the cameras, a big grin on his face, then jumped into the ship.

Mrill and Kesh followed.

The ship took off, speeding toward the stars, while others continued to fire at the bases, destroying as much of the infrastructure as they could.

Out in space, it was chaos. Many Imperial ships had been destroyed on the ground, but enough had launched to give the rebels something to worry about.

“Our work here is done,” said Peter. “Sound the retreat.”

The pilot sent the agreed signal and hundreds of ships spun around and sped away from Nimnir, leaving the startled Imperial ships shooting at empty space. Too many chose to chase after them, and the fight went on.

Mrill sat in the back, quiet as always. She stared at the screens, watching as ships exploded—on both sides.

Their own vessel shook when it got hit.

“Our shield won’t hold if we get another blast like that!” cried out the pilot.

Mrill watched as other rebel ships formed a protective circle around them. When one went down in flames, another came to take its place.

Eventually, another hit went through and they spun out of control. The other ships would have come to their rescue, but an Imperial destroyer popped out of nowhere and started shooting at them.

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Peter jumped at the dashboard and hit the control that would broadcast his voice to all rebels.

“Retreat! Now! Everyone return to the base. Don’t stay back for anyone. It’s an order!”

It did not show on her face, but Mrill was surprised. Though she did not normally like to read those close to her, she made an exception.

She saw what Peter feared. If any stayed behind to protect them—or anyone else—they would be blown out of the sky. No shield could resist a beast of such size. Next to it, they all were bugs.

“There’s a second ship coming,” called out the pilot. “Much smaller. No weapons. Diplomatic, looks like.” He studied his sensors, then the screens, then his sensors again. “We might make it if—”

“Make it? What are you talking about?”

“We’ve been hit hard. We can’t get away from the destroyer. Unless...” The pilot glanced at Peter while he pointed at his sensors. “Unless I can get us into that other one. With all the confusion around us, there’s a chance we might go unnoticed.”

“Those guys will notice us just fine,” Kesh remarked as he pointed at the diplomatic vessel.

“Do it,” said Peter.

The pilot nodded.

It was all he could do to keep the ship under control. The entire structure was shaking and making sounds it should not have made. Rattling, clanking, shuffling...

Mrill remained seated, expressionless.

When they were nearly upon their target, the pilot looked back.

“They’ve spotted us.”

“No weapons, you said?”

“None.”

“Then keep going,” said Peter.

Kesh frowned. “What if they warn the destroyer?”

“They wouldn’t shoot at that ship. We can worry about what to do next once we’re on board.”

They all turned back toward the screens, watching as they came closer and closer to the diplomatic vessel.

“The destroyer is hailing us,” said the pilot.

Peter snickered. “We’re now too close to that other one. They don’t dare shoot at us. Put them on, but keep going.”

The speakers crackled, and a man’s voice boomed in the cockpit.

“Runaway ship, stand down immediately! Comply, and we will show mercy. Don’t, and you will be destroyed.”

“Nice bluff,” muttered Peter. “Keep going.”

“Their bay door is closed,” pointed out Kesh.

The pilot grinned. “Then we’ll just have to blast our way through, won’t we?”

The other made a face. “You’re enjoying this way too much,” he muttered.

Ignoring the comment, the pilot pressed down on his controls and echion beams shot out. The bay door exploded. Crates, machinery, and various equipment went flying past them as they were sucked out. Some clanked against their hull.

“We don’t have much time,” muttered the pilot. “Security protocols will seal the breach within sixty seconds.”

“Then make those sixty seconds count,” said Peter.

Even as he spoke, the ship glided through the floating debris. It gently slid through the opening and landed on the bay strip as a dark and shimmering field formed behind, blotting out the stars.