Stellan gripped Kant’s lightsaber, drawing on its strength, feeling her presence. He raised his other hand and called on the Force once again, cushioning Soh’s body, pushing up just enough so the others could grab her arms, her dress, anything to get her on board.

“She’s safe,” the regasa called down. “We have her.”

Relief flooded through him, so potent that his legs nearly buckled, and yet the fight wasn’t over. He was hurt, he was bleeding, but he could not give up.

Something moved in the smog.

Stellan whirled around, dizziness overtaking him for a moment.

He steadied himself, muttering beneath his breath. “The Force is with me. The Force is strong.”

Whatever was coming, he had to be prepared. The mantra would help; already he could feel strength creeping back into his limbs, clearing the fog in his head if not in the atmosphere all around.

“The Force is with me. The Force is strong.”

This was his duty. His calling. He would not stop until everyone on the walker was safe.

“The Force is with me! The Force is strong!”

Stellan’s lightsaber shot out of the smoke to his left, finding his open hand. He held Kant’s hilt tight, igniting both blades at once, and stood, ready to defend them all.

The shadows in the fog solidified into three shapes running toward him. Stellan tensed as Matari and Voru bounded out of the cloud, followed by a familiar flash of red armor.

Stellan relaxed, letting his sabers drop as Captain Maramis came to a stop in front of him. The Togruta was breathing hard, a vivid slash down his cheek oozing blood.

“The Nihil?”

“Dealt with,” the captain told him, shouting to be heard over the raider’s aural assault. “At least, the few foolish enough to take on a couple of angry targons.”

The targons were nuzzling Quo, who was lying worryingly still.

Stellan holstered his lightsabers and jogged over to the aide, Maramis running behind him, the guard glancing up at the walker, which was once again shrouded in fog. “What happened? The regasa …”

“Is safe, and brave beyond measure.”

“I could have told you that.”

The targons parted to let Stellan kneel beside Quo. He checked the Koorivar’s pulse, finding it weak but steady. “He’s gone into shock.”

“That break looks bad.”

“It is. We need to get him up to the others.”

“Where are the stairs?”

“Wrecked.” Stellan didn’t have time to get into all that right now. He pointed in the direction of the Trandoshan he’d killed. “There’s a Nihil over there. He had a shield.”

“Had?”

“He won’t be needing it anymore. Can you get it … and his ax, too.”

“You want his weapons?”

“Please,” Stellan said, trying not to get frustrated. “Just do as I say.”

Maramis complied, returning with the armaments, which he threw to the ground, along with a bandolier filled with vials.