SoftWare: We continue!
Cyrin: Finally.
SoftWare: Hey, what did I tell you?
Cyrin: I know, you're the author.
Chapter Six
Approaching the Death Star
Han exited hyperspace, and was understandably surprised to find a meteor shower. "What the-?" Gakowa walked into
the cockpit. "What's going on?" Han faced him. "We came out of hyperspace into a meteor shower. It's not on any of the
charts. Our position's correct, except no Alderaan." That got Gakowa's attention. "How?" Anakin came in. "Destroyed, by
the Empire." Han faced him. "The entire fleet couldn't destroy a planet. It'd take 1,000 ships with more firepower than
I've-." The sensors went off. "There's another ship coming in." Gakowa glanced outside to see. "Maybe they know what
happened." Anakin shook his head and said, "It's an Imperial fighter." As he spoke, a TIE fighter sped past the cockpit.
"It followed us?" Anakin shook his head. "It's a short-range fighter." Han glanced at his charts. "There aren't any bases
around here. Where did it come from?" Gakowa looked at it. "Sure is leaving in a big hurry." Marina walked in. "What's
going on?" "Alderaan's gone." Marina faced Gakowa. "How?" Gakowa looked at her. "That's what I wanna know." Marina
then noticed the TIE fighter. "Where'd that come from?" Han faced her. "That's what we all wanna know." Gakowa
looked at it. "If he identified us, we're in trouble." Lilo walked in. Gakowa faced her. "Not now, Lilo." He glanced out the
cockpit again. Han looked at Chewie. "Jam its transmissions." Anakin faced him. "It'd be just as well to let him go. He's
too far out of range." Han didn't look at him. "Not for long." Gakowa kept his eye on it. "Look, he's headed for that small
moon." Han noticed it, too. "I think I can get him before he gets there. He's almost in range." Anakin paled. "That's no
moon. It's a space station." Gakowa faced him. "No." Anakin faced him. "That's way too big to be a space station." Han
glanced at his controls. Anakin faced him. "Turn the ship around." Han for a second seemed doubtful, but said, "Yeah, I
guess you're right. Chewie, lock in the auxilary power." They kept approaching the station. "Chewie, lock in the auxilary
power!" Chewie grunted in response. Lilo spoke up. "Why are we still moving towards it?" "We're caught in a tractor
beam. It's pulling us in." Marina faced him. "There's gotta be something you can do." Han wasn't pleased. "There's
nothing I can do about it, miss. I'm at full power. I'm gonna have to shut down. They won't take me without a fight." As
they got closer, Anakin faced him. "You can't win. Although, there are alternatives to fighting." Han looked at him. "What
do you have in mind?"
(Death Star, control room)
Darth Cyrin glanced at Tarkin, who approached his control board. "Yes?" The man who was communicating replied,
"We've captured a freighter entering the remains of the Alderaan system. Its markings indicate a ship that blasted its
way out of Corvala." Tarkin faced the Sith, who seemed interested in this report. "I will handle this personally, Lady
Cyrin." She faced him. "That will be unnecessary." She walked out.
(Death Star, Hangar 138)
A squad of stormtroopers was waiting for Cyrin, as well as an officer, who exited the ship and approached her. "There's
no one on board, sir. According to the log, the crew abandoned ship right after takeoff." Cyrin raised a facial marking
under her mask. "Did you find any adolescent Togrutas?" The officer replied, "No, sir. If there were any, they must also
have jettisoned. It could be a decoy, sir. Several escape pods have been jettisoned." Cyrin faced him again. "Get a
scanning crew aboard. I want every part of this ship checked." The officer nodded. "Yes, sir." Turning to his men, he
said, "Get a scanning crew here on the double. I want every part of this ship checked." Cyrin then felt something. She
softly muttered, "I sense something. A presence I haven't felt since..." She walked off, lost in thought.
A/N
SoftWare: Sorry, guys. You'll have to wait a bit longer.
Cyrin: Well, it had better be here soon.
SoftWare: Ah, go get some water.
Cyrin: (Thinks it over) Fair enough.
Computer: SoftWare, offline.