Chapter 25: Escort the Refugees

Ethan led the way through the rocky terrain, his blaster at the ready as they approached the coordinates Nova had provided. The distress signal was still coming through, faint but steady, and Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking straight into a trap. Every instinct told him to be cautious, but they couldn't ignore the possibility that someone was genuinely in trouble.

Prella moved silently beside him, her energy blade strapped to her back, her eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of movement. Vala brought up the rear, her blaster in hand and her sharp amber eyes flicking from shadow to shadow. The night was dark, the twin moons casting long shadows across the rocky landscape, making it difficult to see anything clearly.

Nova's holographic form hovered next to Ethan, her expression serious. "We're almost there, Captain. The signal is coming from just beyond that ridge."

Ethan nodded, crouching low as they neared the top of the ridge. He motioned for Prella and Vala to follow him, and the three of them moved silently to the edge, peering over the rocks to get a look at the source of the signal.

Below them, nestled in a small clearing between jagged rocks, was a ship, small, civilian-class, just as Nova had said. The hull was battered and scorched, as if it had been in a recent battle or crash, and one of the engines was still smoking faintly. The landing gear was partially extended, but it looked as though the ship had been forced down hard.

"There it is," Ethan muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. "Doesn't look like a trap so far."

Prella remained silent, but her eyes were sharp, watching every inch of the clearing for signs of movement. "It's quiet. Too quiet."

Vala knelt beside them, adjusting her blaster. "The ship's damaged. Could be whoever's inside really is in trouble."

Ethan turned to Nova. "Any life signs?"

Nova flickered for a moment as she ran her scans. "I'm picking up two life signs inside the ship. They're faint, but they're there."

Ethan's heart rate picked up. Two survivors, injured, most likely. But the fact that the ship had crashed in the middle of a Council-controlled sector didn't sit well with him.

"We go in slow," Ethan said, his voice firm but quiet. "If it's a trap, we'll know soon enough."

Prella and Vala nodded, their expressions serious as they moved down the ridge, keeping to the shadows as they approached the ship. The closer they got, the more evident the damage was, scorch marks covered the hull, and there were deep gouges along the side of the ship, likely from laser fire. Whatever had brought this ship down, it hadn't been a smooth ride.

As they reached the edge of the clearing, Ethan motioned for the others to stop. He crouched low, scanning the area one last time before making his way toward the ship. Prella followed close behind, her movements silent as she checked the perimeter for any signs of an ambush.

Vala stayed behind, keeping her blaster trained on the ship in case anything went wrong. "I'll cover you from here," she said quietly, her voice steady.

Ethan gave her a nod of thanks before turning his attention back to the ship. The landing ramp was partially extended, hanging crookedly from the damaged hull. He approached cautiously, his blaster raised as he climbed the ramp.

Inside, the ship was in shambles. The walls were scorched, and the control panels were flickering erratically. The smell of burnt wiring and metal filled the air, and Ethan could see sparks flying from one of the consoles near the cockpit.

"Hello?" Ethan called out, his voice low but firm. "Anyone alive in here?"

For a moment, there was no response. Then, from the far end of the ship, a weak voice answered.

"Help… over here…"

Ethan's pulse quickened as he moved toward the voice. He found the source in one of the small cabins near the rear of the ship. Two people, both injured, were slumped against the walls, their clothes torn and bloodied. One was an older man with graying hair, his face pale and drawn with pain. The other was a young woman, her arm wrapped tightly in a makeshift sling, her face bruised and her breathing shallow.

"Easy," Ethan said as he crouched down beside them, holstering his blaster. "We're here to help. What happened?"

The older man winced as he tried to sit up, his voice hoarse. "Our ship… was attacked. We didn't even see them coming. One minute, we were flying through a quiet sector, the next… everything was on fire."

Prella appeared in the doorway behind Ethan, her eyes scanning the room. "Who attacked you? Was it the Council?"

The young woman, barely conscious, shook her head weakly. "No… not the Council… something worse."

Ethan exchanged a worried glance with Prella. "Worse? What do you mean?"

The older man coughed, his body trembling with the effort. "They came out of nowhere. Black ships… no markings. We tried to fight, but… we didn't stand a chance."

Ethan's blood ran cold. "Black ships? Did they say anything? Who were they?"

The man shook his head, his eyes filled with fear. "No… they didn't speak. They just… destroyed us. No mercy."

Ethan's mind raced. He had never heard of a faction using black, unmarked ships, at least, not one this aggressive. Could it be another group tied to the Council? Or was this something new, something even more dangerous than the Council of Shadows?

"We need to get them out of here," Prella said, her voice steady. "They're in bad shape."

Ethan nodded, standing up and pulling out his comm. "Vala, get over here. We've got two survivors. They're hurt, but they can walk. We need to move fast."

Vala's voice crackled through the comms. "On my way."

As they prepared to help the survivors to their feet, Nova's voice chimed in over the comms, her tone urgent. "Captain, I'm picking up movement. It's faint, but we've got company coming in fast, several signatures approaching from the north."

Ethan's stomach tightened. "How long do we have?"

"Five minutes, maybe less," Nova replied, her voice tense. "Whatever those ships are, they're heading straight for us."

Prella glanced at Ethan, her expression grim. "We're out of time."

Ethan's mind raced as he helped the older man to his feet. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Vala appeared at the entrance of the ship, her blaster ready. "What's the plan?"

Ethan hoisted the injured woman over his shoulder, her weak frame barely able to support itself. "We make for the ridge, head south, and lose them in the caves. We can't stay out in the open, or they'll tear us apart."

Prella was already moving, helping the older man walk as they made their way out of the ship. Vala covered their rear, her eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of movement.

"Let's move!" Ethan called out, leading the way back up the ridge.

The night air was colder now, the wind picking up as they scrambled up the rocky slope. Ethan could feel his heart pounding in his chest as they neared the top of the ridge. The survivors were weak, barely able to keep up, but they had no choice. If they stayed behind, they'd be dead within minutes.

As they reached the top of the ridge, Ethan glanced back, his blood running cold at what he saw. In the distance, barely visible under the moonlight, several black ships were speeding toward them, their engines burning with a cold, blue light.

"Go!" Ethan shouted, pushing the others forward as the ships closed in. "We need to get to the caves!"

The wind howled around them as Ethan and his crew raced down the rocky ridge, the sound of the approaching ships growing louder with every passing second. The survivors, an older man and a young woman, both severely injured, were barely able to keep up, but Ethan and Prella pushed them forward, knowing that falling behind wasn't an option.

Vala stayed at the rear, her blaster drawn, her eyes scanning the skies for any sign of the enemy. "They're getting closer!" she shouted over the comms, her voice tense. "We won't make it to the caves in time if they keep up this speed!"

Ethan's pulse raced. He glanced back at the black ships in the distance, their cold, blue engines blazing through the night sky like specters of death. There were at least four of them, and they were closing in fast.

"We need a distraction!" Prella called out, her voice sharp with urgency.

Ethan's mind worked quickly, his eyes darting across the landscape. They were close to the caves, but not close enough. If those ships got into range, they wouldn't stand a chance. He spotted a rocky outcrop a little further ahead, just large enough to give them a momentary break from the ships' line of sight.

"There!" Ethan pointed to the outcrop, his voice tight. "We can take cover there, make a stand if we have to!"

Prella didn't hesitate, pulling the older man along as they sprinted toward the outcrop. Ethan followed, carrying the young woman as best he could, his heart pounding with each step.

Nova's voice chimed in over the comms, her tone urgent. "Captain, I'm detecting weapons charging on those ships. They're getting ready to fire!"

Ethan cursed under his breath. "We need to move faster!"

Vala fired a few shots into the sky, hoping to deter the ships for even a moment, but the black vessels didn't slow down. They moved with eerie precision, their blue lights cutting through the darkness like searchlights from another world.

The crew reached the outcrop just as the first of the ships fired. A blast of energy screamed overhead, slamming into the ground a few feet away and sending a plume of dust and debris into the air.

"Get down!" Ethan shouted, pulling the young woman close as he ducked behind the rocks. Prella and Vala followed suit, shielding the injured man as more blasts rained down around them.

The rocks shook under the force of the blasts, and the air was thick with the smell of burning metal and scorched earth. Ethan gritted his teeth, his mind racing. They were pinned down, outgunned, and running out of time.

"We can't stay here," Vala said, her voice tight as she fired a few shots at the approaching ships. "They'll blow us to pieces if we don't move!"

Ethan knew she was right. The black ships were relentless, and their weapons were too powerful to withstand for long. They needed a plan, and fast.

"Nova," Ethan called over the comms, his voice strained. "Any chance we can get those ships off our tail?"

Nova's holographic form flickered beside him, her expression serious. "I've been scanning their systems. They're using an advanced form of cloaking tech and enhanced shielding, way beyond anything we've seen before. But…"

Ethan perked up at the hesitation in her voice. "But what?"

Nova's eyes gleamed with a spark of mischief. "I can disrupt their targeting systems. It won't last long, but it might give us just enough time to make a run for it."

Ethan grinned despite the chaos. "Do it."

Nova flickered out of view as she went to work, her systems hacking into the ships' targeting arrays. Moments later, the blasts overhead became less precise, the shots going wide and slamming into the distant rocks instead of their cover.

"It's working!" Prella called out, her eyes widening as the blasts missed their mark. "We've got a window!"

"Move!" Ethan shouted, helping the young woman to her feet as they made a break for the caves. Prella and Vala followed, supporting the older man as they sprinted across the rocky terrain.

The ships continued to fire, but Nova's disruption had bought them just enough time. The shots went wide, and the crew ducked and weaved through the rocks, their footsteps echoing in the night as they closed in on the cave entrance.

"We're almost there!" Vala shouted, her voice filled with a mix of adrenaline and relief.

Just as they reached the mouth of the cave, a blast of energy struck the ground just behind them, sending them sprawling forward. Ethan hit the ground hard, his ears ringing from the explosion, but he quickly scrambled to his feet, pulling the young woman with him.

"Get inside!" he shouted, pushing the others toward the safety of the cave.

Prella and Vala dragged the older man inside, while Ethan and the young woman followed close behind. The moment they were inside, Ethan collapsed against the cave wall, his chest heaving with exhaustion.

"We made it," Vala panted, her face slick with sweat as she leaned against the rock. "Barely."

Ethan nodded, his body trembling from the adrenaline. "Thanks to Nova."

Nova flickered back into view, her hologram glowing faintly in the dim light of the cave. "Don't thank me yet, Captain. Those ships aren't gone, they're still out there, searching for us. My disruption will wear off soon."

Prella glanced toward the cave entrance, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade. "We need to block the entrance, make sure they can't see us. They might send scouts down here to finish the job."

Ethan nodded, pulling himself to his feet despite the aches in his muscles. "Alright, let's barricade the entrance. Vala, help me with those rocks."

As they worked quickly to block the cave entrance with whatever debris they could find, Ethan's mind raced with questions. Who were these people? And who were the attackers in the black ships? They clearly weren't the Council of Shadows, but they were just as dangerous, if not more so.

Once the entrance was secured, Ethan turned to the older man and the young woman, who were both slumped against the cave wall, their injuries severe but stable for now.

"Who are you?" Ethan asked, his voice steady but curious. "And who attacked you?"

The older man winced as he shifted, his voice weak but determined. "We're traders, or we were. We were transporting supplies to a colony in a nearby system when we were ambushed."

"Ambushed by who?" Prella asked, her tone sharp.

The man hesitated, his eyes filled with fear. "They call themselves the Black Council. A rogue faction… more dangerous than the Council of Shadows. They're not interested in politics or control. They just want destruction."

Ethan's stomach twisted at the name. "The Black Council? I've never heard of them."

"You will," the man said, his voice trembling. "They're growing in power, and they won't stop until the galaxy is in ashes."

The cave fell silent as the weight of the man's words settled over them. A new enemy, even more dangerous than the Council of Shadows, was rising in the darkness. And now, they were in the crosshairs.

Ethan exchanged a glance with Prella and Vala, his heart heavy with the realization that their fight had just gotten a lot more complicated.

"We need to move," Ethan said quietly, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. "The Black Council won't stop until they find us. And if what you're saying is true, they're just getting started."

As the crew huddled in the dark, damp cave, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that the storm was far from over. The Black Council had arrived, and the galaxy was on the brink of war.