Avar rocked unsteadily as the ship bucked, buffeted by a pocket of turbulent air. One of the scav droids saw its opportunity and leapt.

She twisted, sweeping her lightsaber around and bisecting the leaping droid, only to be almost bowled over by a second one that collided with her shoulder, sending her slamming to the hull with a resounding, painful thud. She slid, skidding across the top of the ship, unable to stop herself…

She threw out an arm, scrabbling, catching hold of something hot and metallic. Her arm jerked, hard, causing her to cry out as her momentum wrenched the socket. Her muscles felt as if they were on fire. She felt her boots kicking the air and slowly, breathlessly dragged herself down until she was flat on her stomach against the hull. She was still holding her lightsaber hilt in her free hand.

Center yourself, Avar.

The discordant song filled her mind.

And then her handhold shifted.

She lurched back as the scav droid reared up, its spinning jaws—still glowing red-hot from where it had been chewing through the hull moments before—only an arm’s length from her face.

Avar let go and rolled.

The scav droid crashed down where her head had been just a moment before.

Fighting the wind, she dragged herself up to her knees, then, bellowing, back up to her feet. Her lightsaber reignited in her fist.

The scav droids came on. Avar held her ground, swinging, pinioning, ducking, twisting, cleaving the attacking droids one at a time, bisecting their upper casings, severing their control systems, and sending their ruined carcasses overboard.


Star Wars The High Republic The Eye of Darkness Chapter 22