Last Shot - A Star Wars Story

Chapter 11

Kelsa Antilles

The Resistance base was bustling, more than it usually was. Everyone was on high alert as they prepared to be given the order to launch a final assault.

Kelsa and Kaia exited the Resistance transport last, while Ersela and Lyra led Cora off to the medical tent.

"Is Lyra alright?" Kaia asked after a moment, as they started off towards the medical tent as well.

"I don't know," Kelsa replied honestly. "But everyone keeps asking about it." She glanced at the particularly ugly cut on Kaia's forehead and added, "Are you going to get that treated?"

Kaia rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course I am." She pushed aside the flap to the medical tent and stepped inside, Kelsa following close behind her.

Inside there were several medical droids and a few medically trained members of the Resistance treating the few patients inside. Cora was already being interrogated by a medical droid, looking extremely annoyed, while Kaia went over to talk to one of the officers. Kelsa waited awkwardly at the entrance until Ersela and Lyra joined her, and then they stepped outside.

"I hope this whole thing is over soon," Lyra murmured, watching the activity of the base.

"Me too," Ersela agreed quietly, rubbing something onto her lip. "There have been so many lives lost."

"Hopefully Rey and her team will find Palpatine and end all of this," Kelsa remarked.

"There will be another battle," Lyra told her without turning to face her. "I know it."

"Let's just hope we win," Kelsa sighed. "We've lost so many of our fighters. We're not nearly as strong as we used to be."

"Help will come," Lyra assured her, a confident glint in her eye.

"I sure hope you're right." Behind them, the tent rustled and Kaia stepped out, a bandage stuck to her forehead.

"Cora's taking a dip in the bacta tank," she informed them with a grin. "And she's not happy about it."

"Wait, I want to see that," Kelsa said, and both Ersela and Lyra seemed excited as well.

Kaia led them to a cave beside the medical tent, where there were several more patient beds and three bacta tanks arranged at the back. Cora was floating in the one in the center, looking mortified.

Both Kelsa and Kaia burst out laughing at the sight of their friend, while Lyra and Ersela tried to hide their amused grins. Cora waved wildly from inside the tank for them to leave, and the medical droid in charge of her tank turned its head towards them and said in a flat, automated voice, "Please don't disturb the patient."

"Of course," Ersela responded, and Kelsa and Kaia were still dying of laughter, and Lyra seemed on the verge of breaking down as well. "We'll leave right now."

They hurried out, still laughing, and Kaia wiped a tear out of her eye. "That was great!"

"Thank you for showing us that," Kelsa grinned. "I know I really needed it."

Kaia shrugged. "Don't thank me. Thank whoever invented that thing."

The group continued to laugh at the memory until General Leia approached. They all composed themselves as she stopped in front of them.

"I know you didn't succeed in destroying the Steadfast," she began. "But you did a great service in slowing them down. Rey and her team are now one step closer to finding Palpatine."

"Good," Kaia muttered quietly, and Kelsa thought she might have been the only one who heard her.

"We must prepare for another confrontation with the First Order," Leia continued. "Hopefully it will be the last."