Клаудия Грэй: Into the Dark

Neeto sighed. “Syl.”

“A captain doesn’t quit their ship, no matter how bleak things get.” Syl blinked away hot tears and turned back to Neeto. “This is all I have left.”

Neeto stood and pointed through the cockpit’s window, to the ships approaching. “How many people do you think have died just like your mother? We have to tell someone what is happening out here. Do you think the Republic or the Jedi know that the Nihil can now kick ships out of hyperspace? They’ve already killed so many, but this means that not even hyperspace is safe. We have to let someone on Coruscant know. Otherwise, how will we keep other haulers safe?”

Syl blinked, and M-227 began to move toward the escape pod like a very old man, each movement punctuated by a squeal of rusty hinges. Syl knew they were right, but in this moment she couldn’t help herself. She didn’t want to do the smart thing. She wanted her heart to stop breaking.

“The Switchback is my home,” Syl said.

“It’s my home, too,” Neeto said, his voice clogged with emotion. “And I promise you we will get it back. But first, we have to survive.”

Syl nodded and reluctantly stood, sliding Betty into the backpack holster she wore. And then she ran to the escape pod with Neeto and M-227, fleeing for her life, giving up one of the last things she had left of her mother.

They made it to the escape pod just as the sounds of the Nihil breaching the air lock reverberated through the ship. As they launched out into the darkness of space, Syl’s thoughts were only for the Switchback .

She would do everything in her power to get her ship back.

Either that, or she would extract its price in Nihil blood.

Claudia Gray is the author of Star Wars: Master & Apprentice ; Star Wars: Leia, Princess of Alderaan ; Star Wars: Bloodline ; and Star Wars: Lost Stars. Her other books include Defy the Stars and the Evernight, Spellcaster, and Firebrand series. She has worked as a lawyer, a journalist, a disc jockey, and a particularly ineffective waitress. Her lifelong interests include old houses, classic movies, vintage style, and history. She lives in New Orleans.