Chapter 3 - Trouble
First, before I start the third chapter, I would like to thank Heather Wan for her positive reviews, and for being the first to review on this story. Thanks a lot Heather Wan! Also, bits of chapter two, such as Captain Kentel's story, was influenced by the Playstation 2 game Star Wars Starfighter.
Anakin watched out the meter high viewports, starfighters and warship cannons assaulting the descending freighters. "We're taking heavy fire, Master Kenobi. Our shields will fail if we do not reach the atmosphere soon," a clone soldier said, his voice neutral but with a hint of dominance. "Put all power to the shields. We have to get everyone to the surface," Obi-Wan said, bracing as a shot hit their shields directly. The ship's shields flared to life, the green color reflecting and even absorbing the rain of fire. Everyone on the ship held onto something, the floor rocking to and fro in the heat of battle. "Commander, what's our status?" Obi-Wan yelled in the constant booming. "Some shots are piercing the shields, and life-support has failed in various areas over the ship. Mostly in the cargo hold, and all those that are in those areas without it have evacuated. The shields are at maximum power, but their taking constant hits. They will fail in thirty seconds," the commander shouted, looking at Obi-Wan through his mask. "When will we touch the atmosphere?" "One minute." "Direct all power to the shields, except for the power to the engines. Put life-support at minimum. We have to reach the surface." "Yes, sir," the commander said, turning around and pressing buttons on the lit up console in front of him, redirecting the power to the shields. Suddenly, the lights dimmed; the only light coming off of the consoles where the clone troopers worked. "All power redirected. Our shields will last for two minutes. We will reach the surface in forty-five seconds." The ship penetrated the atmosphere, the ship rocking more than usual. Not only were they taking hits, but they were going into an oxygen rich atmosphere, which made entrance hard even on a ship coming in during peace. Finally, the freighter entered the atmosphere, the bolts stopping their pursuits. The ship stopped rocking, and everyone looked around to see if anyone was hurt. Suddenly, over the communication board came messages of injured personnel and down systems. "Most of our mechanics are blocked off from the problem areas. We will get them in there as soon as possible," the commander talked into the comlink while everyone in the command center hurried busily to help wounded clone troopers and repair burnt out machinery. Anakin looked at the commander as the pleas continued. "Commander, I can help repair some systems. If you need me to, I can repair one of the engines," Anakin said, taking a step toward the commander. "Yes, sir. It is blocked off, however. If you require assistance, a squad will accompany you." "All I need is my Master," Anakin said, glancing at Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Yes, Anakin, I can accompany you."
Anakin and Obi-Wan stood in front of a blocked passage. Debris from the ceilings structure fell, the durasteel beams and rubble blocking even the smallest of creatures from entrance. "We can use our lightsabers," Anakin stated, igniting his new sapphire blade. "No, my young Padawan, we cannot do that. That could cause an avalanche of debris and possibly cause great harm to the ship and its inhabitants. We can't take that risk with that many lives at stake," Obi- Wan said matter-of-factly. "Yes, Master, you are right." "We must find an alternate route." Anakin and Obi-Wan examined the new wall, thinking of a way around it. After a few moments, Anakin nodded in acceptance. "We can use the duct it fell out of. Then, when we pass the rubble, we can exit the duct and be on the walkway again." "Very well conceived plan. I think that would work," Obi-Wan said in approval. Anakin smiled, looking up now. There was a gap that would fit Anakin and Obi-Wan tightly. The hole was about two feet in width and two feet in length, and led into pure darkness. He twisted his head to the left, and then nodded once more. "Are you ready, Master?" "As ready as I'll ever be." Anakin, using the Force to push him further, grabbed onto the ledge. He pulled himself up, his head grazing the top. "Master, we have to go single file," Anakin said, turning around carefully to face the protruding debris. He took out a glowrod from his robes, lighting it. The duct filled with a green glow, the debris coming to life. The debris appeared to be part of the infrastructure of the ship. This beam wasn't a weight supporting beam, but it was important nonetheless. "Master, this was a beam from the infrastructure of the ship. Do you think that the ship will be okay?" "As long as we leave it as it is. Try to go around it as best as possible without disturbing it." "Yes, Master." Anakin looked across as he threw the glowrod over, the light illuminating the same dull, sterile durasteel as what he kneeled on now. He slowly worked his way around the seemingly endless beam of durasteel, and safely made it over. "Master, I made it safely. Now it is your turn." With the grace of a Jedi, Obi-Wan quickly made it up into the duct and around the debris, Anakin watching his Master from a few feet ahead. Anakin took out his lightsaber and started cutting a hole in the duct, Obi-Wan watching him. The durasteel fell to the ground below, the wall of wreckage visible from Anakin's point of view. He turned off his lightsaber and jumped down, moving over so that his Master could jump down. When both of them had come down, they looked backward at the wall, and turned to walk to the engine. In a few minutes, they reached the console that controlled the left engine. "Okay, Anakin, do what you do best," Obi-Wan said encouragingly. "Yes, Master." Anakin removed a plate beneath a diagnostic screen-all of the lights screaming FAILURE or MALFUCTION in various languages-and began working on the wires and plugs. No sooner had he started working, a red light above the two went off. Anakin continued working while Obi-Wan glanced at the light, then at Anakin. "Did you do something, Anakin?" "No, Master." Then, reinforcing Anakin's statement, the commander's voice, Obi-Wan guessed, came over the intercom near the console. "A swarm of Droid Starfighters is heading our way. Our shields have failed and we are only working on one engine. We will reach the surface much sooner than expected if our last engine fails." "Yes, commander, we understand. Anakin should have the engine up and running in a matter of minutes." "Understood." Anakin, in the meantime, was swimming in a sea of wires, trying to find the problems this engine faced. He found several wires and plugs that were burnt out. He pulled himself out of the compartment and looked at the diagnostic screen. "Master, this engine can't be repaired while in flight. We need certain components that I don't have at hand. See this?" Anakin said, pointing at a left part of the engine that was blaring red and MALFUNCTION. "I'd have to get by the engine to fix that." "Understood, my young Padawan," Obi-Wan said solemnly. Obi-Wan clicked the comlink and talked to the commander. "The left engine is irreparable in flight. We need to touch down in order to repair it." "Understood, Master Kenobi." Then, without warning, the ship shook violently, almost throwing Anakin and Obi-Wan off balance. The commander came back on the intercom. "Our last engine has given out. I repeat, our last engine has given out. Prepare for impact."
First, before I start the third chapter, I would like to thank Heather Wan for her positive reviews, and for being the first to review on this story. Thanks a lot Heather Wan! Also, bits of chapter two, such as Captain Kentel's story, was influenced by the Playstation 2 game Star Wars Starfighter.
Anakin watched out the meter high viewports, starfighters and warship cannons assaulting the descending freighters. "We're taking heavy fire, Master Kenobi. Our shields will fail if we do not reach the atmosphere soon," a clone soldier said, his voice neutral but with a hint of dominance. "Put all power to the shields. We have to get everyone to the surface," Obi-Wan said, bracing as a shot hit their shields directly. The ship's shields flared to life, the green color reflecting and even absorbing the rain of fire. Everyone on the ship held onto something, the floor rocking to and fro in the heat of battle. "Commander, what's our status?" Obi-Wan yelled in the constant booming. "Some shots are piercing the shields, and life-support has failed in various areas over the ship. Mostly in the cargo hold, and all those that are in those areas without it have evacuated. The shields are at maximum power, but their taking constant hits. They will fail in thirty seconds," the commander shouted, looking at Obi-Wan through his mask. "When will we touch the atmosphere?" "One minute." "Direct all power to the shields, except for the power to the engines. Put life-support at minimum. We have to reach the surface." "Yes, sir," the commander said, turning around and pressing buttons on the lit up console in front of him, redirecting the power to the shields. Suddenly, the lights dimmed; the only light coming off of the consoles where the clone troopers worked. "All power redirected. Our shields will last for two minutes. We will reach the surface in forty-five seconds." The ship penetrated the atmosphere, the ship rocking more than usual. Not only were they taking hits, but they were going into an oxygen rich atmosphere, which made entrance hard even on a ship coming in during peace. Finally, the freighter entered the atmosphere, the bolts stopping their pursuits. The ship stopped rocking, and everyone looked around to see if anyone was hurt. Suddenly, over the communication board came messages of injured personnel and down systems. "Most of our mechanics are blocked off from the problem areas. We will get them in there as soon as possible," the commander talked into the comlink while everyone in the command center hurried busily to help wounded clone troopers and repair burnt out machinery. Anakin looked at the commander as the pleas continued. "Commander, I can help repair some systems. If you need me to, I can repair one of the engines," Anakin said, taking a step toward the commander. "Yes, sir. It is blocked off, however. If you require assistance, a squad will accompany you." "All I need is my Master," Anakin said, glancing at Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Yes, Anakin, I can accompany you."
Anakin and Obi-Wan stood in front of a blocked passage. Debris from the ceilings structure fell, the durasteel beams and rubble blocking even the smallest of creatures from entrance. "We can use our lightsabers," Anakin stated, igniting his new sapphire blade. "No, my young Padawan, we cannot do that. That could cause an avalanche of debris and possibly cause great harm to the ship and its inhabitants. We can't take that risk with that many lives at stake," Obi- Wan said matter-of-factly. "Yes, Master, you are right." "We must find an alternate route." Anakin and Obi-Wan examined the new wall, thinking of a way around it. After a few moments, Anakin nodded in acceptance. "We can use the duct it fell out of. Then, when we pass the rubble, we can exit the duct and be on the walkway again." "Very well conceived plan. I think that would work," Obi-Wan said in approval. Anakin smiled, looking up now. There was a gap that would fit Anakin and Obi-Wan tightly. The hole was about two feet in width and two feet in length, and led into pure darkness. He twisted his head to the left, and then nodded once more. "Are you ready, Master?" "As ready as I'll ever be." Anakin, using the Force to push him further, grabbed onto the ledge. He pulled himself up, his head grazing the top. "Master, we have to go single file," Anakin said, turning around carefully to face the protruding debris. He took out a glowrod from his robes, lighting it. The duct filled with a green glow, the debris coming to life. The debris appeared to be part of the infrastructure of the ship. This beam wasn't a weight supporting beam, but it was important nonetheless. "Master, this was a beam from the infrastructure of the ship. Do you think that the ship will be okay?" "As long as we leave it as it is. Try to go around it as best as possible without disturbing it." "Yes, Master." Anakin looked across as he threw the glowrod over, the light illuminating the same dull, sterile durasteel as what he kneeled on now. He slowly worked his way around the seemingly endless beam of durasteel, and safely made it over. "Master, I made it safely. Now it is your turn." With the grace of a Jedi, Obi-Wan quickly made it up into the duct and around the debris, Anakin watching his Master from a few feet ahead. Anakin took out his lightsaber and started cutting a hole in the duct, Obi-Wan watching him. The durasteel fell to the ground below, the wall of wreckage visible from Anakin's point of view. He turned off his lightsaber and jumped down, moving over so that his Master could jump down. When both of them had come down, they looked backward at the wall, and turned to walk to the engine. In a few minutes, they reached the console that controlled the left engine. "Okay, Anakin, do what you do best," Obi-Wan said encouragingly. "Yes, Master." Anakin removed a plate beneath a diagnostic screen-all of the lights screaming FAILURE or MALFUCTION in various languages-and began working on the wires and plugs. No sooner had he started working, a red light above the two went off. Anakin continued working while Obi-Wan glanced at the light, then at Anakin. "Did you do something, Anakin?" "No, Master." Then, reinforcing Anakin's statement, the commander's voice, Obi-Wan guessed, came over the intercom near the console. "A swarm of Droid Starfighters is heading our way. Our shields have failed and we are only working on one engine. We will reach the surface much sooner than expected if our last engine fails." "Yes, commander, we understand. Anakin should have the engine up and running in a matter of minutes." "Understood." Anakin, in the meantime, was swimming in a sea of wires, trying to find the problems this engine faced. He found several wires and plugs that were burnt out. He pulled himself out of the compartment and looked at the diagnostic screen. "Master, this engine can't be repaired while in flight. We need certain components that I don't have at hand. See this?" Anakin said, pointing at a left part of the engine that was blaring red and MALFUNCTION. "I'd have to get by the engine to fix that." "Understood, my young Padawan," Obi-Wan said solemnly. Obi-Wan clicked the comlink and talked to the commander. "The left engine is irreparable in flight. We need to touch down in order to repair it." "Understood, Master Kenobi." Then, without warning, the ship shook violently, almost throwing Anakin and Obi-Wan off balance. The commander came back on the intercom. "Our last engine has given out. I repeat, our last engine has given out. Prepare for impact."