Chapter 12

Jyo's mind worked overtime to come up with some way out of this trap they had fallen into. Staying and trying to hold their own was out of the question. Even with six Jedi and three Vong hunting droids, they would not stand much of a chance if YVH-1's numbers were correct.

Arrgh! Jyo growled and rapped himself on the head. Think! Think! Think!

Someone grabbed one of his arms, and he heard Salah's voice. "Maybe this will be more helpful." She said as she kissed Jyo lightly on the cheek. "You can do it." Salah whispered in his ear.

Through the suddenness and the surprise, Jyo found his plan. Jyo spun quickly around to face Luke and the others. "We need to seal off the tunnels." He pointed at the droids. "Have the YVH droids fire rockets into each tunnel, but make sure they hit inside the tunnel. We don't want a cave-in in here."

Luke turned to the droids. "You heard him! Do it!"

Immediately, YVH-1 fired two missiles, one into each tunnel it faced; and the other two YVH droids fired one of their own into the two remaining tunnels.

Each rocket struck about ten feet in, and just as Jyo had predicted, created an effective cave-in.

"That won't hold for long." Jyo said as the noise from the explosions subsided. He pointed up. "I believe that the ceiling of this chamber is as thin as the one we fell into in the first place. I need the YVH droids to fire their blasters at a single point until they break through, just to make sure."

Without waiting for Luke this time, the droids aimed their blaster rifles at the ceiling. YVH-1 fired to mark the aiming point then all three droids opened fire. After only several shots, the attack punched through the thin layer of crust, and sunlight shone in through the hole. The droids ceased fire.

"Good." Jyo said. "Now we just need to blow it completely open."

"I got it!" Trey said as he pulled something out of his pack and hurled it at the ceiling. "Seismic charge!" He said as the device attached itself to the rock above. "Everyone to one side!"

As the group crowded into a corner of the cavern, the seismic charge detonated. It vaporized most of the ceiling but several large chunks still plummeted to the cavern floor. One looked like it was going to come dangerously close to where the group had gathered, but Jyo felt Trey erect a Force bubble, and the piece of crust collided with it and bounced harmlessly off.

When the dust and dirt had settled, Jyo and the others looked up to see a gaping opening where the roof of the cavern had been. Now they just had to make it up there.

Before Jyo could suggest anything, they all heard a low, haunting roar coming from the tunnels. The vorts had reached the barricade, and the sounds off their struggle to break through seemed frantic and determined. Like the fact that there were six Force sensitive individuals just beyond their reach, drove them mad.

Jyo broke the worried silence with the last part of his plan. "Okay. I know none of us can jump that high, and levitating everyone would take too long. But what about throwing one another up and out? The combination of a Force enhanced throw with a Force boosted jump might just do it."

Luke nodded. "And the thrower?"

"We would just levitate him out after the rest of us are topside."

Luke nodded again and got on one knee, taking up the position of thrower.

Trey, however, insisted that he be the one. "I'll need you up there to levitate me up faster." He argued and Luke consented.

Trey got down on one knee and glanced at Salah. "Ladies first." He said with a smirk as he cupped his hands together.

Salah said nothing as she slid her foot into Trey's cupped hands.

"Remember to jump just as I reach the height of my throw." Trey reminded her.

Salah nodded stiffly. "Just make sure you throw me hard enough."

Trey snorted at this and set himself. "Ready … GO!" Trey stood as he tossed Salah with enough of an angle that she would land on solid ground.

The throw was perfect. Even as Salah disappeared over the edge of the hole, Luke was ordering the droids to exit the cavern immediately. The YVH droids compressed their hydraulic legs and built up pressure. Releasing it all at once, they shot out of the hole after Salah.

Nayanll had nudged Jyo to be the next one out, and Jyo gladly accepted. Ben and Luke were next to likewise be pitched out of the cavern.

Just as Luke disappeared over the edge, both Trey and Nayanll felt something give way. Rock and dirt tumbled out of one of the tunnels.

Trey motioned for Nayanll to hurry, but even as she placed her foot in his hands a vort poked its ugly head around the corner of the tunnel leading into the cavern.

The surprisingly intelligent (not to mention quick) vort seemed to evaluate that its prey was trying to escape, and realizing this, it dashed into the cavern and collided with Trey just as he threw Nayanll.

The impact threw Trey across the room. As he slid to a stop, hoping that Nayanll's throw had been accurate, he saw the first vort advancing toward him as several more poured into the cavern from the opened tunnel.

"Could you repeat that Master Luke?" Kam Twoplintor said into his ship's communication receiver.

"… Need immediate pickup … transmitting coordinates to … computer."

"Coordinates received. We're on our way, Master Luke." Kam replied.

The Twilight Trekker shuddered as it changed course, and Kam gave it full throttle. Tay and Zeek sat on the acceleration couch behind the pilot's seat.

Zeek noticed that some of the bravado had gone out of Tay, and her old, worried self was trying to maker her second guess herself.

Zeek patted Tay's shoulder and said. "Everything is going to be fine. You'll see."

"How can you be so sure?" Tay asked with cloudy eyes.

Zeek shrugged. "Don't ask me why, but I just have this feeling that you have an enormous amount of hidden potential. All you need is something to trigger its release."

Tay sighed uncertainly.

"Don't worry. I believe in you." Zeek said with all the confidence he could muster.

Tay wiped her eyes and smiled at him. I'll be brave … for him. Tay quietly thanked Zeek, and he smiled back.

"No problem."