Bariss and Platt helped Serona and the others aboard the freighter.

“No matter what happens, get them out of here.” Bariss told Carson. Carson nodded and headed aboard the nearby freighter they had stolen. Bariss and Platt quickly settled into a couple of Z95 fighters. Bariss had a professional air about him as the ship roared to life. Platt, while just as confident, looked more like a 5 year old who had just been given the keys to a brand new Lamborghini. Carson’s freighter groaned to life as well. They shot out of the docking bay and quickly joined the fray outside the ship. Escaping ships and pods scrambled everywhere, trying to get away from the impending supernova. Several pirate vessels quickly locked on to them, knowing full well that attacking them would mean their deaths but eager to take down their assailants. Several of the ships were highly decorated, the hulls showing the skill of their pilots in kill tallies. Carson threaded his ship through the maelstrom, trying desperately to fend off the fighters. His ship shuddered as laser cannon fire slammed the thin armor. The shields buckled but held. Somehow, he was holding it together.

The Z-95s shot in for another strafing run and raked the ship with more lasers. The shields buckled and failed as the unrelenting pirates’ fire scarred the durasteel, leaving char marks in their wake. “Bariss, we’ve got another prime target for you over here.” Carson yelled over the comms, wondering how much more punishment the ship could take. Bariss nimbly maneuvered his fighter to assist, skillfully engaging the aces. Fenn began to calculate the hyperspace coordinates.

More lasers slammed the ship. One of the Aces exploded into a brilliant fireball.

“Get my family out of here!” Bariss growled over the comms.

The pirate flagship erupted into a massive explosion. The core exploded launching a tremendous shockwave out from its wreckage. It swallowed the nearest fighters. There was no chance to evade. No hope for survival.

Carson keyed the computer, helping Fenn plot the astrogation chart. The impending wave of fire lurched towards them with amazing speed.

Almost there.

It felt as if even the computer was straining to avoid its destruction.

Course plotted.

Carson quickly hit the button. The stars stretching out into the familiar hyperspace jump just as the fire lashed out, greedily snaking towards the engines.

Aura lay lifeless in the back of the ship. Carson wondered how much peril a life was worth. Surely there was some type of redemption for even someone as vicious as Aura Sing? Bariss’ probably thought otherwise. Then again, one man’s heroism is another man’s atrocity, he mused. He slumped back into the cockpit and closed his eyes. “So that’s what “Do No Harm” gets me.” he said with a laugh.