the starborn legacy

The pirate ship sliced through hyperspace, its engines humming with a rhythm that made Liora uneasy. She sat in a corner of the dimly lit briefing room, her gaze fixed on the worn holomap Ezi Velka had projected onto the table. The map displayed the Vrelkar trading hub—a sprawling, chaotic station that hung in orbit around a dying star.

"This is where we're heading," Ezi said, pointing to a docking bay highlighted in red. "Vrelkar is neutral ground, but don't let that fool you. Every gang, smuggler, and bounty hunter in the sector has their eyes peeled for a big score." Her gaze flicked to Liora. "And you, little star, are as big a score as they come."

"Comforting," Kade muttered, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed.

Liora ignored him, focusing instead on the intricate web of routes and markers on the holomap. "Why would the Empire risk coming to a place like this?" she asked. "Wouldn't that break their so-called neutrality agreements?"

Ezi smirked. "The Empire doesn't play by anyone's rules but their own. If they want you, they'll come. The question is, how ready are you to deal with them?"

The words stung, but Liora refused to show it. "What about you? Why are you helping us?"

Ezi leaned back, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face. "Let's just say I have my reasons. The Empire's taken enough from me. Helping you might be my ticket to pay them back."

Kade snorted. "Or you're just waiting to sell us out to the highest bidder."

Ezi's cybernetic eye whirred as it focused on him. "Careful, flyboy. You might not like where this conversation ends."

"Enough," Liora interjected, standing. "We don't have time for this. If we're walking into a trap, we need a plan."

Ezi's smile returned, sharp and predatory. "Smart girl. Follow my lead, and you might just make it out alive."

The tension in the room hung thick as Ezi killed the holomap and gestured for them to follow.

Vrelkar was a sensory overload. The docking bay buzzed with activity, its metallic floors gleaming under the harsh light of overhead lamps. Traders shouted over each other, selling everything from starship parts to exotic alien artifacts. The air was thick with the smell of oil, metal, and spices from a nearby food stall.

Liora tugged her hood lower, trying to blend in. Kade walked beside her, his hand resting on the blaster strapped to his hip. Behind them, Ezi and two of her crew members flanked their group, their eyes scanning the crowd for threats.

"Keep your head down and your mouth shut," Ezi whispered. "The less attention we draw, the better."

They wound their way through the bustling market toward a secluded hangar at the edge of the station. Ezi led them to a small, heavily guarded workshop. The owner, a grizzled mechanic with cybernetic arms, greeted her with a nod.

"Velka," he said, his voice gravelly. "Didn't think I'd see you again."

"Times change, Zerek," Ezi replied. "I need repairs and discretion. Think you can handle it?"

Zerek's gaze shifted to Liora and Kade, lingering on Liora a moment too long. "Depends. Your friends look like trouble."

"Trouble's my business," Ezi said, sliding a credchip across the counter. "Do we have a deal or not?"

Zerek grunted and pocketed the chip. "Deal. Leave the ship here. It'll be ready in a few hours."

Back in the shadows of a dimly lit cantina, Liora sipped at a glass of water, her nerves frayed. Kade was beside her, scanning the room with a wary expression. Ezi was nowhere to be seen, having slipped away to "take care of business."

"I don't like this," Kade said. "She's too unpredictable."

"She's our only option right now," Liora replied.

Before Kade could argue, the cantina doors slid open, and a group of armored figures entered. Their black-and-red uniforms were unmistakable—Imperial hunters.

Liora's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her head, praying they wouldn't notice her. But luck wasn't on her side. One of them, a tall figure with a jagged scar across his face, paused and turned directly toward their table.

"They've spotted us," Kade hissed, his hand going for his blaster.

The hunters advanced, their leader drawing a menacing baton crackling with energy. "Liora Veylan," he said, his voice cold and authoritative. "Surrender now, and I might let your friend live."

Liora stood, her hands trembling but her resolve firm. "You're wasting your time. I'm not going anywhere with you."

The leader sneered. "So be it."

Before he could strike, a blaster shot rang out. The hunter staggered, clutching his shoulder as Ezi emerged from the shadows, her weapon smoking.

"Didn't think I'd let you have all the fun," she said with a grin.

Chaos erupted as the cantina patrons scattered. Liora ducked as blaster fire lit up the room. Kade returned fire, his shots precise, while Ezi took down another hunter with a well-placed shot to the leg.

"Move!" Ezi shouted, covering them as they bolted for the exit.

They sprinted through the maze-like corridors of the station, the sound of pursuing footsteps growing louder. Liora's lungs burned, but she pushed herself to keep going.

"This way!" Ezi barked, leading them into a narrow maintenance tunnel.

The group skidded to a halt inside, their breaths ragged. Ezi sealed the door behind them, her expression grim.

"That wasn't a random patrol," she said. "They knew you were here."

Liora's stomach twisted. "What are you saying?"

Ezi's gaze hardened. "Someone sold you out."

Kade's eyes narrowed. "And how do we know it wasn't you?"

Ezi stepped closer, her cybernetic eye whirring. "Because if I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be breathing right now."

The tension crackled like static, but before anyone could respond, Liora spoke up. "It doesn't matter who tipped them off. What matters is that we keep moving."

Ezi nodded reluctantly. "Smart girl. But next time, we might not be so lucky."

As they pressed deeper into the station, Liora couldn't shake the feeling that betrayal was lurking around every corner—and that their true fight was only just beginning.

Ezi led the group deeper into the twisting tunnels of the station, her movements sharp and deliberate. Liora tried to push past the rising fear gnawing at her. The idea of betrayal—of someone within their ranks working against them—refused to let her mind rest.

As they emerged into a dimly lit storage chamber, Ezi raised a hand to signal a stop. She motioned for quiet and scanned the area with her cybernetic eye.

"All clear," she muttered, though her grip on her blaster remained tight. "We'll regroup here for a moment. No one follows unless they want to die."

Liora leaned against a rusted support beam, trying to catch her breath. Kade paced the room, his eyes darting toward Ezi every few seconds. The tension between them was palpable.

"If you're so innocent, why do they keep finding us?" Kade snapped, his voice laced with suspicion.

Ezi turned, her expression icy. "Maybe it's because you two aren't exactly subtle. You're carrying a beacon, remember? That thing might as well be a flashing sign saying 'come get us.'"

"That's enough," Liora interjected, her voice firm despite her exhaustion. "Fighting each other isn't going to solve anything."

Kade stopped pacing but didn't take his eyes off Ezi. "You're awfully quick to defend her. You don't find it suspicious that she's always one step ahead?"

Ezi scoffed. "I'm one step ahead because I know how to survive, flyboy. Unlike you, I've spent years navigating places like this."

Liora stepped between them, raising her hands. "Stop it! Both of you. We're all on the same side here—at least, we should be."

Ezi's expression softened just slightly, and she turned away, muttering something under her breath. Kade, however, wasn't ready to let it go.

"You said someone sold us out," he pressed. "Who else could it be?"

Ezi spun back to face him, her cybernetic eye glowing faintly in the dim light. "You think I don't have enemies? Half the station probably knows I'm here. The Empire's got spies everywhere."

"And yet, they found us almost immediately after we docked," Kade countered.

Liora felt the weight of the accusation settle over the room. She glanced at Ezi, then back at Kade, her mind racing. Could it really be true?

Before anyone could speak again, the faint hum of footsteps echoed through the tunnels. Ezi raised her blaster, her expression hardening.

"Quiet," she hissed, motioning for them to hide.

Liora and Kade ducked behind a stack of crates as Ezi took up a position near the entrance. The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by muffled voices.

"They came this way," one of the voices said, low and menacing.

Liora's heart pounded as the shadows of their pursuers appeared on the far wall. She clutched the small knife she'd taken from the shuttle, her palms slick with sweat.

Ezi waited until the intruders stepped into the room before opening fire. Her shots were precise, dropping two of them before they could react. Kade joined in, his blaster sending another to the ground.

The remaining intruders scattered, returning fire as they took cover. The storage chamber erupted into chaos, the air thick with the smell of scorched metal and ozone.

"Go!" Ezi shouted, covering their retreat.

Liora and Kade scrambled toward a maintenance hatch at the back of the room. Ezi followed, firing over her shoulder as the remaining intruders pursued them.

The hatch led to a narrow passageway barely wide enough to walk through. Liora stumbled, her legs aching, but Kade caught her arm and pulled her forward.

"Keep moving!" he urged.

They emerged into another chamber, this one filled with abandoned machinery. Ezi slammed the hatch shut behind them and sealed it with a welding torch she'd taken from her belt.

"That won't hold them for long," she said, her voice tight.

Kade rounded on her. "So what's the plan now, genius? Lead us into another trap?"

"Enough!" Liora shouted, her voice echoing through the chamber.

Both Ezi and Kade froze, startled by the sudden outburst.

"I don't care who's to blame," Liora said, her voice trembling but resolute. "Right now, we have bigger problems. If we don't work together, we're all dead."

The room fell silent except for the distant sound of the sealed hatch straining under pressure.

Ezi sighed, lowering her blaster. "She's right. We can't afford to waste time pointing fingers."

Kade didn't respond, but the anger in his eyes softened.

"Good," Liora said, taking a deep breath. "Now, let's figure out how to get out of here."

As they searched the chamber for an exit, Liora couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Kade might be right. Someone had betrayed them—but who?

And more importantly, why?