Last Shot - A Star Wars Story

Chapter 13

Lyra Solo

As her mother led her away from her friends, Lyra finally felt the full weight of the day's events come crashing down onto her, specifically what had occured during her brief imprisonment aboard the Steadfast. She burst into tears as they walked through the base together, holding hands.

"What is it?" Leia asked gently, sitting down on a large boulder and pulling Lyra down beside her.

Lyra leaned against her mother's shoulder, taking gasping breaths as she tried to calm herself down. "I-I saw B-Ben. He c-came into my c-cell to interrogate me."

"What did he say?" Leia pressed, though she did so delicately. She moved one of Lyra's hands onto her lap and rested her hand on it, holding onto her cane in the other.

Lyra took a few more deep breaths, calming down a little. "He said that I made a mistake trying to sabotage the ship and that it was only a matter of time before he found my friends. Then he asked me to join him, saying that he was so close to destroying the Resistance once and for all." Leia's face became even sadder when she said that, and Lyra felt that same sadness wash over herself. "I said no, and I told him I believed that there was still good in him...I called him Ben-" She paused, the tears returning to her eyes. "I called him Ben, and he became so angry." She shuddered at the thought. "I was terrified...but then he left, and Cora and Kelsa rescued me."

Leia rested her head on top of her's, and Lyra closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness of her mother. It wasn't very often that they got to be like this, and Lyra wished that the moment to last forever.

Suddenly, she sensed a wave of great pain, and she gasped, glancing at her mother, who had stood up and was now moving over towards her personal living quarters nestled into one of the caves, her gaze far away.

"Mother," Lyra called, hurrying after her. She felt overwhelmed by the sudden emotions flooding her. Anger. Fear. Pain. Where was this coming from? She stumbled, her vision blurring, and she froze where she was in front of Leia's cave. "Ben..."

Leia started to lay down onto her bed, and Lyra didn't even understand what she was doing until it was too late. She felt Leia extend herself across the Galaxy, to Ben and she felt a sharp pang stab through her chest, an anguished gasp escaping her lips. Her mother was about to die.

Leia closed her eyes as she settled, and Lyra's vision blurred as she bit back a scream, watching her mother's hand slowly drop, limp. Everyone gathered around her, whispering in hushed voices. Lyra slowly moved over to her mother, putting one hand on her's before pulling away, distraught. It had all happened so fast.

Somehow, Ersela found her in the crowd and pulled her away, a little off to the side where Kelsa and Kaia were standing, both of their expressions ones of utter shock. Kaia in particular looked as if she had just felt the entire thing herself, and considering that Lyra was pretty sure she was a Jedi, that was probably the case.

"I'm so sorry," Kaia murmured quietly. "She was a great leader, and I know she loved her children very much."

"Thank you," Lyra replied sadly. Kaia nodded, still looking a bit dazed, as Kelsa put one hand on Lyra's shoulder.

"Everything is going to be alright," she assured her, and Lyra could see in her friend's eyes that she was also trying to convince herself of that. "Her death will not be in vain. We will fight the First Order and we will win."

"She's right," Ersela agreed, standing beside Lyra. "Leia died to save Rey, and once Rey finds Palpatine, we'll bring the fight to him."

"He won't stand a chance," Kaia piped up, looking determined now. Beside Kelsa's feet, BB-11 beeped excitedly.

Lyra smiled at her friends, and while she was still overwhelmed with grief, she was now also filled with hope. They were right. Against the Resistance, the First Order didn't stand a chance.