Chapter 10

In a total of ten minutes, the Twilight Trekker was orbiting the planet of Duro.

"According to the coordinates that Din Holnt supplied us with," Luke was saying. "Cordell crashed on the side of Duro that is completely uninhabited."

"But without any landmarks, how will we find him?" Salah asked.

Before Luke could answer, Trey spoke up. "Simple. If there's nothin' around, then it should be easy to spot a pile of wreckage."

Luke nodded. "Exactly."

Salah frowned at Trey, who pretended not to notice. Jyo stifled a chuckle for which Salah elbowed him in the ribs.

"But, Dad." Ben said. "Why so many people for such a simple mission? You and I could have handled this just as fine by ourselves."

Luke shook his head. "Call it a feeling. Not only have I learned not to underestimate Cordell," he turned to face the kids, "but I've also learned to make better judgments about the importance of family and friends. And remember, Jyo said Cordell is still alive. He did not perish in the crash."

An alarm went off, signaling that the Twilight Trekker's orbit was now positioned above the coordinates they received from Din Holnt.

"Take us down, Kam." Luke said to the pilot.

Kam nodded and fired the thrusters.

"First, let's locate the crash site." Luke was saying as they approached the planet. "You can drop us off there, Kam. Then you need to take Tay to Sand Grain City so she can treat Zeek. You might as well rest and refuel while you're there. I'll contact the ship's radio via my comlink when we're ready to be picked up."

Kam nodded again. "Understood, Master Skywalker."

"I see it." Nayanll said suddenly. Her sharp eyes had spotted the pieces of wreckage, even from such a great distance.

Kam followed where she was pointing and soon set the ship down beside a long trench that had been dug by a crashing A-Wing. The A-Wing itself was almost nonexistent anymore. Just the arrow-like frame could be made out in the wreckage.

Everyone except for Kam and Tay exited the Twilight Trekker. Luke walked to the back of the ship and told Kam, over his comlink, to open the hold. A moment later, the hold doors opened and a loud banging sound came from the inside that sounded like footsteps.

The others took a step back when three oversized droids clomped out of the hold and down the ramp. The trio was armed with what looked like blaster rifles, thermal detonator launchers, and a rocket launcher.

Luke motioned to the droids and said. "Meet YVH-1, YVH-2, and YVH-3."

Jyo recognized the abbreviation. "Yuuzhan Vong Hunters?"

Ben nodded as he went to stand by his father. "As you know, this planet has, for some reason, been infested with vorts. Therefore, I had Kam make a visit to Lando Calrissian, the designer of the droids. Their Vong detection software will alert us to the presence of any vorts within a five mile radius."

Luke paused and spoke into his comlink. "Okay, Kam. Get going to Sand Grain City."

In response, the hold doors sealed shut, and the Twilight Trekker rose from the ground and shot off into the distance.

As the Twilight Trekker flew off, the small group made its way over to the wrecked A-Wing. As Luke had feared, the cockpit was empty. Cordell was nowhere to be found. "Scan the area for other life forms." He said to YVH-1.

After a moment the droid replied. "No other life forms have been detected within my scanning range."

Luke glanced at Jyo questioningly.

Jyo caught the look and shook his head. "I can't detect him. He's completely hidden himself."

"How could he have gotten so far away in such an injured state?" Ben wondered aloud.

No one ventured an answer. Nayanll approached the A-Wing and began to circle it, looking closely for any clue that would tell them the general direction Cordell had gone. But the ground was too firm to have left footprints.

Salah started to walk away from the group, and Jyo followed.

"I wouldn't go wanderin' around out there if I were you, Red." Trey called after her.

Salah scoffed at him. "You heard Master Skywalker, the YVH droids will alert us if they detect anything. And stop calling me 'Red'. My name is Salah."

"All right. I just don't have a very good feeling about it."

"What do you mean?" Ben asked.

Trey shrugged. "Just feels like somethin' bad is gonna happen."

Just as he said this, there was a scream. Everyone looked at where Salah had been, but she was gone. And Jyo was on his knees looking at the ground.

Everyone rushed over; the droids marched slowly after them. Luke and the others gathered around Jyo and realized what had happened. Where Salah had stood, there was now a dark hole in the ground.

"SALAH!" Jyo yelled into the hole.

"Ow." Came the faint reply.

Luke was about to ask her if she was all right, when he felt the ground shift beneath him. His eyes widened in realization. Luke swung around and shouted to the droids to stop. But he was too late.

The first droid stepped onto the weak area, and its weight shook the thin layer of rock. Cracks formed everywhere, and the ground fell away, plummeting five humans plus one droid into the depths of Duro.