Chapter 4
The Attack
The smell of an electrical fire filled the air, and the feeling of
chaos was dominant in the Command Center. Since it was closer to ground
level it was showing the effects of high-powered bombs.
"Clear the bay. Send down medical immediately." Leia yelled. The command center was filled with commanding officers, and orders filled the air.
Jaina held Ben and stood in awe as her mother gave orders to troops, and destinations for fighters. She had heard stories about how her mother ran the operations during the Rebellion but she had never seen it. They were in the middle of battle.
"What's going on?" Jaina yelled to no one in particular but hopping someone would explain it. An officer filled her in,
"Durron's group ran into trouble. They were outnumbered five-to-one, and many of them were slaughtered." Fear wrapped it's icy fingers around Jaina's heart, and she gripped Ben even tighter to her. They've discovered us...
That's when Leia noticed her standing there. "Jaina!" She yelled, "Get the children out of here! Use the Star Searcher, it's all ready to go."
Jaina was surprised, "Mom, I've got to-" Leia cut her off,
"All the fighters have been deployed and yours has already been destroyed. You're the best pilot for the job." And the only one. Leia thought silently as she watched four more of the yellow blips that represented their fighters disappear. "The ones that weren't on the first transport is down on the seventy-fifth floor in the gym. GO!"
Jaina nodded . She started to run to the gym. She could argue with her mother's opinion, but she knew better than to argue an order.
**************************************************************************** **
"You're slowing me way down." Jaina said to Ben as she sat him down on the hall floor.
"Aya, Aya!" Ben cried. So far he had liked being carried along as Jaina ran. It was the closest thing to flying he had ever experienced.
"Stay here." Jaina ordered. "I'll be right back." With that she started running again, her feet barely touching the floor. She stretched out, letting every muscle work to it's maximum. It made it easier when she didn't have to carry a three-year old. Down another hall, then she'd reach the gym. All of a sudden the building rocked again, and Jaina felt the mountains tremble.
There it was, above two large doors it read, "Gym. Physical Fitness and Exercise." This was her stop. Quickly she keyed the door panel and the doors opened with a hiss. The lights flickered again. In the trembling lights Jaina made out half a dozen small faces. Children. Young Jedi children. By their wide eyes and pale faces Jaina could tell that they were afraid, and they had good reason. Monsters bombed the base that had been their home.
The lights flickered again, then stayed off. Jaina froze as she felt a tingle go up her spine. The walls seemed to groan and then the incredible weight of the ceiling fell on her. Pinning Jaina to the floor, and sending her into unconsciousness... **************************************************************************** **
Zekk wrestled with the controls of his damaged X-Wing. The Vong had scored some good hits, and he would never be able to make a jump into light- speed. He had to get back to the base before the Vong took it over totally. He gritted his teeth. The problem was that this was a forest-covered planet, and there wasn't any easy landing spaces. Through the Force he could feel the Vong getting closer, like an evil tidal wave. The only for him to ever get off this planet alive was to crash. Zekk's heart thumped in his chest and the ship's engines screamed as it fell from the sky like a rock. Force help me. He thought as his craft hit the tops of the trees and began to bor a hole in the forest. Then he saw a very large tree-trunk through his canopy which was coming at him with incredible speed. Then, everything went black...
Snap-cackle... Cackle...Snap-hiss...Cackle.... Zekk awoke. At first he couldn't see clearly. Then he recognized the sounds of a fire, then he saw that he wasn't in his X-Wing anymore.
Suddenly his ears rang from an explosion and he felt himself being pushed into the ground by the concussion.
He was sprawled out on his stomach, one of his arms was under him, and he felt like something that had been put through a vibro-burner. Turning his head slightly he could see the remains of his ship that was now enveloped in flame and neatly wrapped around a very large tree. Then he saw the hole he had made when he came through the forward canopy.
Zekk sat up, and a wave of nausea washed over him. Reaching up he took off his helmet, which was now banged up and probably what saved his life. He ran a gloved hand over his forehead and when he drew it away recognized his own blood on the black leather glove. Instantly he heard a high-pitched scream above him. Looking up through the hole in the foliage his ship had made he saw the ugly grey- green ships that the Vong flew. There seemed to be a billion of them clogging up the sky like a swarm of wasps.
Too quickly Zekk got to his feet and a wave of dizziness swept over him. The world spun, and Zekk staggered but managed to stay on his feet. From what he had seen from the sky the what was left of the base was about half a mile away through the forest. He had seen that some of the docking bay was still intact. Ignoring the urge to hurl, Zekk started to run through the dense forest.
**************************************************************************** **
Jaina awoke to total darkness. She couldn't tell what was up, and down. Then, she realized she was lying on her back and a fear clutched her. Am I blind? Where am I?
Then she remembered, the ceiling had collapsed on her. That was why she couldn't move. Pressure was on her legs, and when she tried to move her right arm searing pain rah up it. Her arm was broken. Jaina remembered leaving Ben out in the hall, and only prayed to the Force that the ceiling hadn't collapsed on him also.
Reaching out with the Force, Jaina tried to lift the heavy durrasteal and concrete off her. But it was no use, she was too weak. Her body had been going through shock, and now couldn't summon the strength. Despair welled up in her soul. No one would hear her if she called out. Even through the Force. Her mother probably had already left on her own transport and there was a good chance that Zekk was now only space dust floating on in oblivion. All of her chances seemed non-existent. Why would anyone go to the lower levels when the base was being destroyed? The Vong would probably find Ben, and then discover that he was the son of Skywalker...They would sacrifice him to their gods. What had she done?
Jaina started to sob. Not the soft crying that she had done before in Zekk's arms, but sobbing so that her body shook. She would die if they didn't find her, and if the Vong did she'd probably be tortured, then killed.
For a while her crying went on, unnoticed in the crumbling Jedi base. And then, she again dipped into the soothing waters of unconsciousness...
**************************************************************************** **
Zekk ran into the command center. Or what was left of it. Leia Organa Solo was still at her post. She was frantically giving orders, trying to make sure everyone was getting to their transports.
"Where's Jaina?" Zekk hollered.
Leia paused, "She left on the Star Searcher with the Jedi children."
Zekk sighed with relief,
"I need to get to a transport." He said. Leia put some headphones on,"One of the last ships is leaving. "Docking bay, better hurry."
Zekk nodded. He was glad Jaina was out. He hadn't expected it to be that easy, Jaina always seemed to get herself into trouble. At least the old Jaina he knew. Sometimes ya just get lucky.
(TO BE CONTINUED! P.s. If ya get a chance, could ya checkout my brand new Web page too? More coming!)
"Clear the bay. Send down medical immediately." Leia yelled. The command center was filled with commanding officers, and orders filled the air.
Jaina held Ben and stood in awe as her mother gave orders to troops, and destinations for fighters. She had heard stories about how her mother ran the operations during the Rebellion but she had never seen it. They were in the middle of battle.
"What's going on?" Jaina yelled to no one in particular but hopping someone would explain it. An officer filled her in,
"Durron's group ran into trouble. They were outnumbered five-to-one, and many of them were slaughtered." Fear wrapped it's icy fingers around Jaina's heart, and she gripped Ben even tighter to her. They've discovered us...
That's when Leia noticed her standing there. "Jaina!" She yelled, "Get the children out of here! Use the Star Searcher, it's all ready to go."
Jaina was surprised, "Mom, I've got to-" Leia cut her off,
"All the fighters have been deployed and yours has already been destroyed. You're the best pilot for the job." And the only one. Leia thought silently as she watched four more of the yellow blips that represented their fighters disappear. "The ones that weren't on the first transport is down on the seventy-fifth floor in the gym. GO!"
Jaina nodded . She started to run to the gym. She could argue with her mother's opinion, but she knew better than to argue an order.
**************************************************************************** **
"You're slowing me way down." Jaina said to Ben as she sat him down on the hall floor.
"Aya, Aya!" Ben cried. So far he had liked being carried along as Jaina ran. It was the closest thing to flying he had ever experienced.
"Stay here." Jaina ordered. "I'll be right back." With that she started running again, her feet barely touching the floor. She stretched out, letting every muscle work to it's maximum. It made it easier when she didn't have to carry a three-year old. Down another hall, then she'd reach the gym. All of a sudden the building rocked again, and Jaina felt the mountains tremble.
There it was, above two large doors it read, "Gym. Physical Fitness and Exercise." This was her stop. Quickly she keyed the door panel and the doors opened with a hiss. The lights flickered again. In the trembling lights Jaina made out half a dozen small faces. Children. Young Jedi children. By their wide eyes and pale faces Jaina could tell that they were afraid, and they had good reason. Monsters bombed the base that had been their home.
The lights flickered again, then stayed off. Jaina froze as she felt a tingle go up her spine. The walls seemed to groan and then the incredible weight of the ceiling fell on her. Pinning Jaina to the floor, and sending her into unconsciousness... **************************************************************************** **
Zekk wrestled with the controls of his damaged X-Wing. The Vong had scored some good hits, and he would never be able to make a jump into light- speed. He had to get back to the base before the Vong took it over totally. He gritted his teeth. The problem was that this was a forest-covered planet, and there wasn't any easy landing spaces. Through the Force he could feel the Vong getting closer, like an evil tidal wave. The only for him to ever get off this planet alive was to crash. Zekk's heart thumped in his chest and the ship's engines screamed as it fell from the sky like a rock. Force help me. He thought as his craft hit the tops of the trees and began to bor a hole in the forest. Then he saw a very large tree-trunk through his canopy which was coming at him with incredible speed. Then, everything went black...
Snap-cackle... Cackle...Snap-hiss...Cackle.... Zekk awoke. At first he couldn't see clearly. Then he recognized the sounds of a fire, then he saw that he wasn't in his X-Wing anymore.
Suddenly his ears rang from an explosion and he felt himself being pushed into the ground by the concussion.
He was sprawled out on his stomach, one of his arms was under him, and he felt like something that had been put through a vibro-burner. Turning his head slightly he could see the remains of his ship that was now enveloped in flame and neatly wrapped around a very large tree. Then he saw the hole he had made when he came through the forward canopy.
Zekk sat up, and a wave of nausea washed over him. Reaching up he took off his helmet, which was now banged up and probably what saved his life. He ran a gloved hand over his forehead and when he drew it away recognized his own blood on the black leather glove. Instantly he heard a high-pitched scream above him. Looking up through the hole in the foliage his ship had made he saw the ugly grey- green ships that the Vong flew. There seemed to be a billion of them clogging up the sky like a swarm of wasps.
Too quickly Zekk got to his feet and a wave of dizziness swept over him. The world spun, and Zekk staggered but managed to stay on his feet. From what he had seen from the sky the what was left of the base was about half a mile away through the forest. He had seen that some of the docking bay was still intact. Ignoring the urge to hurl, Zekk started to run through the dense forest.
**************************************************************************** **
Jaina awoke to total darkness. She couldn't tell what was up, and down. Then, she realized she was lying on her back and a fear clutched her. Am I blind? Where am I?
Then she remembered, the ceiling had collapsed on her. That was why she couldn't move. Pressure was on her legs, and when she tried to move her right arm searing pain rah up it. Her arm was broken. Jaina remembered leaving Ben out in the hall, and only prayed to the Force that the ceiling hadn't collapsed on him also.
Reaching out with the Force, Jaina tried to lift the heavy durrasteal and concrete off her. But it was no use, she was too weak. Her body had been going through shock, and now couldn't summon the strength. Despair welled up in her soul. No one would hear her if she called out. Even through the Force. Her mother probably had already left on her own transport and there was a good chance that Zekk was now only space dust floating on in oblivion. All of her chances seemed non-existent. Why would anyone go to the lower levels when the base was being destroyed? The Vong would probably find Ben, and then discover that he was the son of Skywalker...They would sacrifice him to their gods. What had she done?
Jaina started to sob. Not the soft crying that she had done before in Zekk's arms, but sobbing so that her body shook. She would die if they didn't find her, and if the Vong did she'd probably be tortured, then killed.
For a while her crying went on, unnoticed in the crumbling Jedi base. And then, she again dipped into the soothing waters of unconsciousness...
**************************************************************************** **
Zekk ran into the command center. Or what was left of it. Leia Organa Solo was still at her post. She was frantically giving orders, trying to make sure everyone was getting to their transports.
"Where's Jaina?" Zekk hollered.
Leia paused, "She left on the Star Searcher with the Jedi children."
Zekk sighed with relief,
"I need to get to a transport." He said. Leia put some headphones on,"One of the last ships is leaving. "Docking bay, better hurry."
Zekk nodded. He was glad Jaina was out. He hadn't expected it to be that easy, Jaina always seemed to get herself into trouble. At least the old Jaina he knew. Sometimes ya just get lucky.
(TO BE CONTINUED! P.s. If ya get a chance, could ya checkout my brand new Web page too? More coming!)