CHAPTER 28
THE SPARK

GENERAL Hux stared at the chaos insinuating on the outside of the Supremacy. He smiled slightly at all the damage, knowing fully well that they had done their job. The general always trained his fleet and cadets well. Fire exploded into the dark space as the Raddus was seemingly obliterated from their universe, but it still wasn't enough for Hux. The fight wasn't done yet. Clasping his hands behind his back, General Hux turned to the lower ranking officer beside him. "What is the point of all this if we can't blow up three tiny cruisers?" He asked, venom laced in his tone.

"They're faster and lighter, sir," the officer to his left said. "They can't lose us, but they can keep it arranged where our canons are ineffective against their shields."

Hux sighed heavily through his nose. "Well, keep up the mirage. Let it at least remind them that we're still here."

Before the officer could reply, a group of three captains adorning their signature light gray uniforms approached Hux. The general turned with a lifted brow. All of them looked as if they were out of breath from running. "What is it, captains? We're a bit ... busy."

The captain in the front had been hunching himself forward as he caught his breath. After a moment, he stood back up, straight as a board. "Foreign ship has entered the hangar, general."

Hux lifted his chin, looking down at the group with disdain.

"We think it's ... Officer Nhagy," the captain finished.

The words took Hux a minute to realize they were true. His eyes went wide, an expression he rarely used to show his shock. Without even acknowledging the captains, Hux began his descent to the hangar. The general never ran so fast than he did now.

•••

The Supremacy's hangar entrance had been opened to allow their trailing ships passage. Raena whizzed past them in her own, pressing her lever forward to go faster. Steering her ship into the familiar First Order hangar was one of the most nerve-wracking things she'd ever done. She felt a lump in her throat, one that she struggled to swallow down. The remaining fleets of First Order pilots flew into the hangar and parked themselves next to her evac ship, allowing the hangar door to close with a slam.

The armed pilots stepped out of their cockpits cautiously, cocking their heads to the side at the sight of the foreign ship parked in the middle of their hangar. Raena breathed heavily from the inside. Groups of stormtroopers gathered near the hangar's base, waiting for her to depart from the ship. Raena's hands shook tremendously, but she knew her mission. She knew she had to do this.

From the second story of the hangar, Gerardo Mason and Pacey Blando watched the scene unfold below them. The two both adorned new uniforms, rather than their trainee garb from months ago. Gerardo wore his custom black sergeant uniform, while Pacey, now a lieutenant, walked about in his recent light gray clothes. Gerardo's brow lifted at the sight of the strange ship, wondering who could be inside. "Do you think it's the Resistance?"

"Probably," Pacey replied, pointing towards the door opening. "It's definitely an evac ship." He looked over at Gerardo, and he admired the concern on his face. For a small moment, Pacey patted his hand on Gerardo's. "Don't worry. The troopers will stun the pilot on sight."

Gerardo rolled his eyes in a playful way. "I know that."

But when Gerardo looked back at the hangar base, he saw exactly what he hadn't expected. Pushing the ship door open, in tattered clothes and burnt skin, was Raena fucking Nhagy. Gerardo's mouth dropped fully as his formerly-dead friend stood by her ship, looking around at the stormtroopers pointing their blasters in her direction with fear. She must've had no weapon on her. Why was she here in the first place? How was she here?

"No need to be alarmed everyone!" She exclaimed, waving her arms in the air. "I was not lost in space –"

Gerardo watched her body double over onto the ground as a pilot tazed her with an electrostaff. As soon as reality hit him, he was running. Gerardo headed for the stairs that connected the second story to the base of the hangar, and Pacey followed in suit. Gerardo was surprised that his short legs were moving faster than ever before, but this was urgent. His friend, his comrade ... was alive.

He waved his hands in the air, shouting, "STOP! STOP!"

The group of troopers moved to let the two pass through. Pacey slowed his steps, eyeing Officer Nhagy's limp body on the ground. He swallowed hard as he watched Gerardo pick her up. Raena was waking up quickly, leaving Pacey confused. A taze from an electrostaff should've had her unconscious for at least thirty minutes. Gerardo heard her mumbling words under her breath, but he didn't pay attention to them.

"What's the meaning of this, Sergeant Mason?" One of the pilots asked.

Gerardo looked to Pacey, unable to answer. Pacey stuttered out, "Uh –" He paused, viewing to Gerardo as he whispered, "What do we do?"

Another pilot approached the scene, kicking Raena's still leg. "I think she's alive," he said through an automated voice inside his helmet. "Hey ... doesn't this look like –"

"BRING THAT PILOT TO THE MEDICAL WING WITH ME THIS INSTANT!"

Everyone turned their heads to General Hux, who was allowed through the group of stormtroopers easily. They all moved out of the way for their general, obeying him respectfully. Gerardo wasn't sure if the look on Hux's face was of anger or relief. Maybe it was a mix of both. General Hux nodded to the duo, gesturing for them to follow him. Due to Gerardo not having the best strength, Pacey took the lead and carried Raena's dazed form in his arms.

Gerardo's breathing was heavy as he tried to keep up with Hux and Pacey. The general led them down to the only part of the Supremacy that was painted all white, which reflected the abnormally sterile atmosphere. After speaking with one of the nurses, Hux gestured to a room on the right of them. Pacey and Gerardo walked into the patient room, where the lieutenant laid Raena on a clean cot. Almost automatically, a nurse and med droid entered the room.

"She'll be just fine here," Hux stated from the doorway. "You two can go back to your duties."

Pacey began to leave the room as General Hux did, but he noticed Gerardo wasn't with him. He looked back, realizing Gerardo still stood in the same spot, watching the nurse take Raena's blood as she mumbled something under her breath. "Are you coming?" Pacey asked.

Gerardo was instantly snapped away from his thoughts. "No, I'm gonna stay here."

"But you have to –"

"Whatever it is, it can wait," Gerardo interrupted. He sighed, walking towards Pacey with a soft smile. "I'll see you later." He promised, grabbing Pacey's hand for a long moment. Pacey nodded before escorting himself out.

There was a bench situated to the left of Raena's cot, so Gerardo sat on it as he huffed longingly. He rested his face in his hands, shaking his head with confusion. Questions ran through his head in lightspeed. She was supposed to be dead. He knew General Hux told everyone on the ship that she escaped and was lost in space, but Gerardo always knew that had been a lie. He knew the commander had killed her. He never had a doubt about that. So if that was true, how was she here now?

As a boy, Gerardo read stories about the Nhagy family bounty hunters. In fact, he almost wanted to be one at a point, just because it seemed extraordinary, but his parents forbade it. He came from a pretty rich family, and while other boys his age were getting droids for their birthdays, all Gerardo had asked for were books. These books were just the beginnings of him learning about the Nhagy hunters, and when he learned later in life that the family had resurfaced around the Western Reaches, he was nothing but ecstatic. News had spread throughout the galaxy of Elijah Nhagy and his niece, Raena. Gerardo was studying at a military academy during this time, due to his parents' strife to make him as manly as his father, and to be ready for a job one day. After the fall of the Galactic Empire, there was nothing left for Gerardo but join the First Order for his superb weapon skills, which he gained gradually over time at the academy. Even so, there would always be a spark left in him to become like a Nhagy hunter, but that time for him was long gone.

And as Gerardo stared at Raena right now, laying in a cot with burn marks littering her exposed skin, he couldn't help but feel sad. She was someone he truly looked up to, and to see her in such a state was terrifying. Hearing of her death was the worst day of his life. But now she was here, right in front of his eyes. The Nhagy family legacy wasn't lost; the spark would always be there. This fact alone would fuel Gerardo to write a book about his adventures with the last Nhagy later in life, but that's for another day.

Gerardo watched the med droid patch up Raena's burnt skin, and as he continued to wonder how she was alive, he could've sworn he saw her skin heal itself before his eyes.