CHAPTER 3: JUST A BROKEN HYPERDRIVE
"Where are we?" Cale asked.
The violet-haired girl turned around and shrugged. "I'm not sure. We're probably in some sort of nebula."
"Nebula?" Cale repeated. "Well, this is certainly the weirdest nebula I've ever been in. I mean, first it sucks us in, and now we're in some kinda void. I can't even see any stars! What kind of a nebula is this?"
"I don't know," the girl-what was her name again? Taylor? Talia?- replied.
Koby growled something from the hyperdrive controls.
"What did he say?" the girl asked.
"The hyperdrive's busted," Cale muttered. "Great."
"It could always be worse," the girl said cheerfully. "At least the TIE fighters aren't chasing us anymore."
"That's what I don't like," Cale murmured. "If this so-called nebula isn't dangerous then why didn't the Imps just follow us in here? I don't like this."
"Well, we won't have to stay in this nebula for long," the girl said. "Koby can get our hyperdrive repaired in no time, can't you, Koby?"
Koby growled a "yes", and moved to the back of the ship, where the engine room was located.
"Yeah," Cale added. "Koby's the best technician I know."
"I've heard Wookie mechanics are really good," the girl agreed. Then she looked down at her console and began to press controls. "I'll start running our coordinates on the navicomputer."
"Where can we go?" Cale asked.
"I know a safe place," the girl answered. "My home system, Diocha. It's pretty secluded, and there isn't a single Imperial within ten light- years of the place."
"How did you manage that?"
The girl leaned back to gather her thoughts. "Well, there is a pretty hazardous asteroid field surrounding our entire system. It is very hard to navigate through, so Imperial ships don't try it. Those huge Star Destroyers are too big and clunky to stand a chance. Only smaller ships can make it.
"The asteroid field works out good for us Diochani, though. It keeps the Imperials away. Also.did you know that Diochani pilots are some of the best in the entire galaxy? It's because we learn to fly in the outer edges of the field. Compared to that, any other terrain is easy flying."
"So you're a pilot then?" Cale asked, narrowing his eyes. Everyone knew that Rebel infantrymen were jealous of pilots. The infantry did all the hard work-and those X-wing pilots got all the glory. It wasn't fair.
"Yes," the girl replied honestly. "But I am different from most Diochani pilots. You see, I have a sort of.intuition. It helps me to fly. I." Her voice trailed off as she scrutinized him. Cale felt himself blushing under her stare.
"I'll tell you a secret," the girl said quietly. "Because I think I can trust you. You see, I, uh, I." Her voice trailed off again, and the girl decided to communicate her meaning through actions rather than through words.
She took a strange metal cylinder from where it was hooked on her belt and held it so Cale could see. Then she pressed a button-and a gold beam of light shot out of the cylinder.
"A lightsaber." Cale breathed. He never thought he'd be seeing one up close before. Why, those weapons were legendary. They were also the weapon of. "Jedi," the boy said quietly. "You're a Jedi, aren't you?"
The girl deactivated her weapon. "Yes," she said simply.
"But I thought all the Jedi were.gone," Cale whispered.
"Diocha is isolated, remember?" the girl explained. "My parents hid there when the Empire first came into power, and since no Imperials visit Diocha, they were never found."
"Wow." Cale murmured. "That's amazing. Uh, can you do all those Jedi things? I mean, read minds and lift objects without touching them, and.you know. All that Jedi stuff."
"To a certain extent," the girl replied smoothly.
Cale shook his head in amazement, and then realized that he didn't even know the girl's name.
"Uh, hey, I'm Cale," the boy began. "And you are.?"
"Talelania Eftariocha de-Rovales ia Reom."
"That's a mouthful," Cale replied.
"It's Talela for short," the Jedi girl said, and smiled.
Cale smiled back uncertainly, starting to blush again and desperately trying to stop it.
He was saved by the droid's annoyingly metallic voice,
"Oh dear, this ship is terribly dusty. My circuits will get contaminated for sure."
"And what is your name?" Talela asked politely.
The short silver droid straightened proudly. "I am SU-9 of the Tektaron Laboratories. You may call me Sue."
"It's nice to meet you, Sue," Talela replied. "I'm Talela, and this is Cale. The Wookie is Koby."
"Hi," Cale muttered grudgingly. Droids always annoyed him. Especially this one, with its blinding silver plating and shrill metallic voice.
Then Koby barreled into the cockpit, almost knocking over the silver droid. Koby growled triumphantly.
"What is he saying?" Talela asked.
Cale grinned and jumped up. "Great! You did it, Koby." Then, to Talela, "The hyperdrive's fixed."
"Good," Talela replied happily. "Let's get out of this creepy nebula." She engaged the hyperdrive controls and waited to see stars begin to streak by.
But nothing happened.
"That's strange," Talela said, a frown creasing across her normally cheerful face. "The controls are working perfectly."
Then Cale said the words that were on everyone's mind: "I don't think this is an ordinary nebula....."
"Where are we?" Cale asked.
The violet-haired girl turned around and shrugged. "I'm not sure. We're probably in some sort of nebula."
"Nebula?" Cale repeated. "Well, this is certainly the weirdest nebula I've ever been in. I mean, first it sucks us in, and now we're in some kinda void. I can't even see any stars! What kind of a nebula is this?"
"I don't know," the girl-what was her name again? Taylor? Talia?- replied.
Koby growled something from the hyperdrive controls.
"What did he say?" the girl asked.
"The hyperdrive's busted," Cale muttered. "Great."
"It could always be worse," the girl said cheerfully. "At least the TIE fighters aren't chasing us anymore."
"That's what I don't like," Cale murmured. "If this so-called nebula isn't dangerous then why didn't the Imps just follow us in here? I don't like this."
"Well, we won't have to stay in this nebula for long," the girl said. "Koby can get our hyperdrive repaired in no time, can't you, Koby?"
Koby growled a "yes", and moved to the back of the ship, where the engine room was located.
"Yeah," Cale added. "Koby's the best technician I know."
"I've heard Wookie mechanics are really good," the girl agreed. Then she looked down at her console and began to press controls. "I'll start running our coordinates on the navicomputer."
"Where can we go?" Cale asked.
"I know a safe place," the girl answered. "My home system, Diocha. It's pretty secluded, and there isn't a single Imperial within ten light- years of the place."
"How did you manage that?"
The girl leaned back to gather her thoughts. "Well, there is a pretty hazardous asteroid field surrounding our entire system. It is very hard to navigate through, so Imperial ships don't try it. Those huge Star Destroyers are too big and clunky to stand a chance. Only smaller ships can make it.
"The asteroid field works out good for us Diochani, though. It keeps the Imperials away. Also.did you know that Diochani pilots are some of the best in the entire galaxy? It's because we learn to fly in the outer edges of the field. Compared to that, any other terrain is easy flying."
"So you're a pilot then?" Cale asked, narrowing his eyes. Everyone knew that Rebel infantrymen were jealous of pilots. The infantry did all the hard work-and those X-wing pilots got all the glory. It wasn't fair.
"Yes," the girl replied honestly. "But I am different from most Diochani pilots. You see, I have a sort of.intuition. It helps me to fly. I." Her voice trailed off as she scrutinized him. Cale felt himself blushing under her stare.
"I'll tell you a secret," the girl said quietly. "Because I think I can trust you. You see, I, uh, I." Her voice trailed off again, and the girl decided to communicate her meaning through actions rather than through words.
She took a strange metal cylinder from where it was hooked on her belt and held it so Cale could see. Then she pressed a button-and a gold beam of light shot out of the cylinder.
"A lightsaber." Cale breathed. He never thought he'd be seeing one up close before. Why, those weapons were legendary. They were also the weapon of. "Jedi," the boy said quietly. "You're a Jedi, aren't you?"
The girl deactivated her weapon. "Yes," she said simply.
"But I thought all the Jedi were.gone," Cale whispered.
"Diocha is isolated, remember?" the girl explained. "My parents hid there when the Empire first came into power, and since no Imperials visit Diocha, they were never found."
"Wow." Cale murmured. "That's amazing. Uh, can you do all those Jedi things? I mean, read minds and lift objects without touching them, and.you know. All that Jedi stuff."
"To a certain extent," the girl replied smoothly.
Cale shook his head in amazement, and then realized that he didn't even know the girl's name.
"Uh, hey, I'm Cale," the boy began. "And you are.?"
"Talelania Eftariocha de-Rovales ia Reom."
"That's a mouthful," Cale replied.
"It's Talela for short," the Jedi girl said, and smiled.
Cale smiled back uncertainly, starting to blush again and desperately trying to stop it.
He was saved by the droid's annoyingly metallic voice,
"Oh dear, this ship is terribly dusty. My circuits will get contaminated for sure."
"And what is your name?" Talela asked politely.
The short silver droid straightened proudly. "I am SU-9 of the Tektaron Laboratories. You may call me Sue."
"It's nice to meet you, Sue," Talela replied. "I'm Talela, and this is Cale. The Wookie is Koby."
"Hi," Cale muttered grudgingly. Droids always annoyed him. Especially this one, with its blinding silver plating and shrill metallic voice.
Then Koby barreled into the cockpit, almost knocking over the silver droid. Koby growled triumphantly.
"What is he saying?" Talela asked.
Cale grinned and jumped up. "Great! You did it, Koby." Then, to Talela, "The hyperdrive's fixed."
"Good," Talela replied happily. "Let's get out of this creepy nebula." She engaged the hyperdrive controls and waited to see stars begin to streak by.
But nothing happened.
"That's strange," Talela said, a frown creasing across her normally cheerful face. "The controls are working perfectly."
Then Cale said the words that were on everyone's mind: "I don't think this is an ordinary nebula....."